LPT: Don't buy expensive gift cards that have high fees (e.g., Amazon), unless you're sure the person will spend them immediately. Otherwise, the fees will eat the gift card money if the person doesn't spend it right away.

Amazon GCs have a 1% monthly fee on balances over $1,000. You *must* spend the gift cards immediately, especially if it's a large amount, or the fees will eat into the balance. This is an extremely common scam job recruiters will pull on people they don't intend on hiring; they'll send you a $2,000 Amazon GC with the agreement that you'll give them back $1,500 and keep $500 as a "gift" to purchase materials to do the job they supposedly hired you for. In reality, they just stole $1,500 from you since they had no intention of paying you any money.<br><br>There are many other types of fees associated with gift cards. Some gift cards charge • Inactivity fees: These fees are charged on your gift card transactions if it has not been used for a specified period of time. • ATM fees: You can withdraw cash from your gift card from an ATM. This attracts an ATM fee. • Foreign transaction fees: Just like a credit card, some gift cards charge a foreign transaction fee on international transactions. • PIN fees: Some gift cards come with a PIN that you can use to make purchases. You might be charged a small convenience fee for the use of a PIN to make purchases. • Card replacement fees: If you misplace your gift card and need a replacement, you might be charged a card replacement fee. • Sales tax: Some states charge sales tax on the purchase of your gift card.