If you get a sudden text from the boss asking you to buy gift cards and send the numbers back, treat it as a likely CEO text scam—pause, verify by phone or in person, and don’t spend money until you confirm it’s real.
Picture this: you’re in the middle of your workday in Panama City when a message pops up. It looks like it’s from the CEO. They’re “in meetings” and can’t take calls for the next couple of hours. It’s urgent. They need six $200 gift cards right now and promise to pay you back today. They want you to text the card numbers as soon as you buy them.
Would you stop and double-check, or would you head straight to the checkout line?
Many people get taken in by this playbook. The story changes (stuck without gas, a client emergency, or a surprise reward for staff), but the twist is the same: it isn’t your CEO. It’s a scammer using phishing tactics to get quick cash. Employees often don’t realize it until the money is gone.
Without dedicated training, 32.4% of employees are likely to click or comply with a phishing attempt.
How to Spot a CEO Text Scam Fast
These messages are carefully written to make you act fast and skip normal checks:
- There’s pressure: “urgent,” “today,” “right away.”
- You’re told the sender can’t talk: “in meetings,” “on a plane,” or “no calls for two hours.”
- They ask for gift cards and the codes by text or email—easy to spend and impossible to reverse.
Keeping you from calling the real person is part of the plan. If you can’t verify, you’re more likely to go through with it.
Why Good Employees Fall for It
Scammers lean on emotions and workplace dynamics. Common triggers include:
- Not wanting to say no to a senior leader
- Wanting to be helpful and “save the day”
- Fear of letting the team or company down
- Hoping to make a good impression by jumping in fast
When emotions run high, it’s easy to miss small details that would raise red flags.
Real Case: Fake CEO Email Cost Over $6,000
This isn’t rare, and the losses can add up. In one report, a woman in Palos Hills, Illinois received an email that looked like it came from her CEO. It said the boss wanted to reward select staff with gift cards and asked if she could help buy them that day.
She purchased cards from Target and Best Buy. The follow-up email asked her to send photos for a “spreadsheet,” which also felt normal. By the time it became clear something was off, she had bought more than $6,500 in cards. Later, when she saw her real boss, they knew nothing about it. The money was gone.
Simple Ways to Avoid Costly Phishing Attempts
Verify anything unusual—preferably by phone or in person
Even if the message insists the sender can’t talk, check anyway. For any request that’s out of the ordinary—especially those involving money or gift cards—confirm through a known good number or face to face.
Take a breath before you act
These scams thrive on urgency. Give yourself a few minutes. Ask: Does this match how we normally handle purchases? Would my boss really ask for gift cards by text?
Get a quick second opinion
Show the message to a coworker or your managed IT provider. A short sanity check can stop a bad decision before it costs you.
Need Help with Phishing Awareness for Your Team?
Phishing tactics keep evolving. Regular training helps people spot the telltale signs—especially the gift card hustle that targets offices around Panama City. If you’d like help updating employee awareness and response, get in touch.
