GOOGLE has issued a warning to users about a Play Store gift card fraud and the symptoms that you've fallen for it.

The tech titan shared some red alert instances but recognises that there are many different types of scams out there.

Google said on its website that someone might be trying to defraud you if they ask you to buy a Google Play gift card and share the code so that you can pay for something outside Google Play.

Google said two instances are offered in the section under "How to Know Whether You're Being Scammed.” The first explains how a scammer may pretend to be from a government agency like the IRS.

They may tell you that you owe money and ask you to pay in gift cards. This is a big sign of a scam.

Google explains: "The scammer says that you owe money for taxes, bail money, debt collection and more."

They tell you that to avoid arrest, or to prevent the seizure of physical items or your personal identification information (like your SSN in the US. Other countries use different names), you have to pay them with gift cards."

The other example Google gives involves a classic family-related fraud message.