In May 2020, amidst the constraints of COVID-19 and fresh from completing my thesis, I found myself looking for ways to occupy my time within the confines of my dorm room. In an attempt to declutter, I decided to list my soccer shoes for sale on eBay. Shortly after, a prospective buyer reached out, expressing interest in buying the shoes as a birthday present for their nephew. On the surface, their request seemed innocuous. However, the situation took a questionable turn when they asked me to buy an eBay gift card and share the redemption code with them, a hallmark of a common scam. Despite the red flags, for some reason, I was convinced by the buyer's unusually high bid during the auction. This, coupled with their persuasive communication, led me to overlook the potential for deceit. Trusting in the integrity of the transaction, I proceeded as requested, only to realize later that I had fallen victim to a well-orchestrated gift card scam.
Now this page, alongside of a physical card with NFC feature, is a colaborative project with my partner, being auctioned at CultureHub.