I am also an expert in the field of payments. The only thing that makes gift cards stand out from other transaction media is there are many fewer guardrails around them money movement wise.

I'd pretty much back up AARP on this one. Asking for payment by gift card should in the majority of cases put one on guard.

The article wasn’t about the AARP. That was just the hook. The article is about what you just said: there are many fewer guardrails, and why.