A disturbingly common trick: The script runs, shows a fake successful message, and copies a real (but already redeemed or fake) gift card code to your clipboard. When you try to redeem it, nothing happens. Meanwhile, the script has replaced any cryptocurrency addresses you copy with the attacker’s own address.
| Type | % | Description | Example |
|------|---|-------------|---------|
| Prank/Joke | 46% | Prints fake codes, infinite loops, or “you got pranked” messages | console.log("Code: AMZN-12345") |
| Malware/Stealer | 32% | Downloads keyloggers, session token stealers, or crypto miners | Obfuscated Python scripts with requests.post to a C2 server |
| Educational/Explanatory | 22% | Demonstrates why generators are impossible (intended as warning) | # This will not work because... |
“Free Money or Malicious Code? An Analysis of ‘Amazon Gift Card Generator’ Repositories on GitHub” amazon gift card generator github
Amazon’s official program. You upload 10 receipts per month and answer short surveys for up to $10 in Amazon credit monthly.
When you run an "Amazon gift card generator" from GitHub, you are not getting free money. Here’s what you are likely getting instead: A disturbingly common trick: The script runs, shows
Amazon gift card codes are not simply random strings. They use a cryptographically secure pseudo-random number generator (CSPRNG) combined with checksums. The code space is enormous (e.g., 16-25 alphanumeric characters, case-sensitive). The odds of guessing a valid, unused code are astronomically lower than winning the lottery multiple times in a row.
Shop through these portals and earn cashback (1–10%). Payouts can be sent as Amazon gift cards. | Type | % | Description | Example
While individual users rarely get prosecuted for attempting to use such generators, the creators have faced legal action. In 2021, a British man was sentenced to 12 months in prison for selling a fake "Amazon gift card generator" that actually stole payment details. In the US, the FBI has investigated multiple GitHub-hosted fraud tools under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA).
Even possessing or distributing a tool designed to defraud Amazon can lead to: