Home Depot scams
Last updated September 19, 2026
The short answer
Home Depot scams include fake gift card offers, phishing emails about online orders, and fraudulent contractor services advertised through the Home Depot name. Home Depot will never email you asking to click a link to verify your account or send unsolicited gift card offers. Always verify orders at homedepot.com.
As one of the largest home improvement retailers in the world, Home Depot is impersonated by scammers through fake order confirmations, gift card scams, and fraudulent contractor services. Scammers also frequently demand payment in Home Depot gift cards for unrelated scams because the cards are widely available and hard to trace.
How Home Depot scams work
- 1
Fake order confirmation email
An email says you placed a large order at Home Depot that you don't recognize. To cancel, click a link or call a phone number. The link leads to a phishing site, and the phone number connects to a tech support scammer.
- 2
Gift card payment demand
A scammer impersonating a government agency, utility company, or tech support agent demands payment in Home Depot gift cards. Home Depot gift cards are popular with scammers because they're sold everywhere and difficult to trace once redeemed.
- 3
Fake Home Depot survey or reward
A text or email says you've been selected for a Home Depot customer satisfaction survey. Complete it to win a $500 Home Depot gift card. The survey collects your personal and financial information.
- 4
Fraudulent contractor using Home Depot name
Someone claims to be affiliated with Home Depot's installation services and offers a discounted quote for home repairs. They collect a large deposit and either do substandard work or disappear entirely.
Warning signs
- An email confirms a Home Depot order you never placed
- Anyone asks you to pay for something using Home Depot gift cards
- A text offers a $500 Home Depot gift card for completing a survey
- A "contractor" claims to be affiliated with Home Depot but can't provide verification
- The email sender address doesn't end in @homedepot.com
- You're asked to buy gift cards and read the numbers to someone over the phone
Examples
Fake Home Depot order for power tools
An email says "Your Home Depot order #HD-4582917 for $847.32 has shipped." You didn't order anything. The email includes a "Cancel Order" link that goes to a fake site asking for your Home Depot login and credit card number to "process the cancellation."
"Pay your tax debt with Home Depot gift cards"
A caller claiming to be from the IRS says you owe $3,000 in back taxes and must pay immediately with Home Depot gift cards to avoid arrest. This is a scam. No government agency accepts gift cards as payment.
What to do
- Check your actual Home Depot account at homedepot.com to verify any orders.
- Never buy gift cards as payment for bills, taxes, or fees. No legitimate organization accepts gift cards as payment.
- If you gave gift card numbers to a scammer, call Home Depot at 1-800-466-3337 immediately to try to freeze the remaining balance.
- Report phishing that impersonates Home Depot through the Home Depot Fraud Center at homedepot.com/privacy/Fraud-Center.
- For contractor scams, verify the contractor through Home Depot's official website before paying deposits.
Report it to Home Depot
Report it through the Home Depot Fraud Center. A Home Depot gift card can only ever be spent at Home Depot.
Getting your money back
If you gave Home Depot gift card numbers to a scammer, call Home Depot immediately at 1-800-466-3337. They may be able to freeze the remaining balance. Save the physical gift cards and receipts as evidence. If your personal information was stolen through a phishing email, monitor your credit reports and consider a fraud alert.
Frequently asked questions
Why do scammers ask for Home Depot gift cards?
Gift cards are a favorite payment method for scammers because they're widely available, hard to trace, easy to resell, and nearly impossible to reverse once redeemed. Home Depot gift cards are popular because of the store's widespread presence. No legitimate business, government agency, or utility company will ever ask you to pay with gift cards.
Can I get my money back from a Home Depot gift card scam?
Call Home Depot at 1-800-466-3337 as soon as possible. If the scammer hasn't fully redeemed the card, Home Depot may be able to freeze the remaining balance. Keep the gift cards and receipts. The sooner you report it, the better your chances of recovery.
Other companies scammers impersonate
Scams reuse their scripts across brands. If you were contacted about Home Depot, these are the guides worth reading next.