Impersonation

Is the urgent CEO email asking for a wire / gift cards a scam?

Quick answer

Yes, every time. The 'CEO asking for a quick favor' email is the most common Business Email Compromise (BEC) attack. Scammers impersonate executives (using spoofed or compromised email addresses) and pressure employees to wire money or buy gift cards 'urgently' — outside normal channels.

Red flags to look for

1
Email from CEO/CFO/manager asking for urgent action
2
Sender address is slightly off (extra letter, similar domain, gmail.com instead of company domain)
3
Insists on email-only communication — 'I'm in a meeting, can't call'
4
Asks to buy gift cards and send the codes
5
Wants a wire transfer to an unfamiliar account, often international

Real examples

Hi Sarah — quick favor. I'm in back-to-back meetings and need to send a client thank-you. Can you pick up $2,000 in Apple gift cards and email me the codes? I'll reimburse you. Don't mention to anyone — surprise gift. — David

Likely Scam

Real executives don't ask employees to buy gift cards by email. The 'don't mention to anyone' line specifically isolates the victim from the colleague who would catch the scam.

What to do

Always verify by walking to the person, calling their known number, or video call — never reply to the email.
Set a company-wide rule: no gift card purchases, no wires, no payments based on email alone.
Train every employee on BEC patterns — especially executive assistants and finance staff.
If gift cards already purchased: stop, do not send codes, contact your manager.
If you sent codes: report to ic3.gov immediately — same-day reports occasionally enable card freezes.

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Why scammers use this approach

BEC is the #1 fraud category by dollar value in the US, costing businesses billions. The 'helpful employee meets urgent boss' dynamic bypasses skepticism. Gift cards are preferred because the codes are instantly redeemable and untraceable.

Frequently asked questions

What's the best prevention?

A strict rule: no money movement or gift card purchases based on email alone. Always verify in person or by known phone. Make it cultural — employees should feel zero awkwardness saying 'I need to verify by phone.'