A disturbing trend is emerging in Finland where victims are being manipulated or coerced into purchasing large amounts of gift cards. According to Jimi Tikkanen, a project planner at Riku, the Victim Support Finland organization, gift cards are increasingly utilized in various online scams. These scams are significantly impacting victims’ financial stability, pushing many to the brink. Tikkanen detailed this growing problem in a recent blog post, noting the link between gift cards and romance scams. Authorities have also issued warnings regarding the use of gift cards in business email compromise schemes, also known as CEO fraud. This method is described as favored by organized criminal groups due to the anonymity and difficulty in tracing the funds.