Sainsbury’s Shoppers Urged to Lock Nectar Card Points to Prevent Fraud
In a bid to prevent points from being spent by anyone other than the primary account holder, Sainsbury’s introduced a new ‘Spend Lock’ security feature to its Nectar loyalty app back in February, reports Dorset Echo. This feature allows loyalty members to “freeze” their points while also choosing to set where their points can be spent.
The move comes as an investigation by the Daily Mail’s This Is Money found that Sainsbury’s customers had lost an estimated 12.5 million Nectar points, worth more than £63,000, to fraudsters accessing their accounts over the past year. According to Dorset Echo, cybersecurity expert Jake Moore, global cybersecurity advisor at Eset, is now urging shoppers to monitor their account activity “frequently to detect and report any unauthorised actions promptly”. He told The Sun: “It is especially important to monitor accounts more often just before Christmas as this is usually when criminals target accounts with points that have been accumulated over the year.”
Consumer expert Martyn James explained to the publisher that many people will be “unaware” that their Nectar points have disappeared, as reported by Dorset Echo. He shared: “That’s because we rarely look at the app or check the total on our receipts.” Martyn continued: “Download the latest version of the app and activate the lock feature.”
For those who haven’t locked their Nectar points yet, it’s easy to do so on the Nectar card app, available for free on the Apple store or Google Play, according to Dorset Echo. Once logged in, on your profile icon, head to ‘settings’ and then tap ‘lock or unlock spending’. You then swipe the bar to either ‘unlock’ or ‘lock’, depending on your preferences. Sainsbury’s customers can change whether they want to lock or unlock Nectar points any time through the app – to spend them, they must be unlocked.
A Nectar spokesperson said, as quoted by Dorset Echo: “Nectar is one of the UK’s biggest loyalty schemes, with over 23 million members. The security of our customer accounts is our highest priority and the proportion of those impacted by fraud each year is very small. We have a range of measures which detect, and in many cases prevent fraud, including our Spend Lock feature. Our Nectar Helpline team are on hand to support any customer who suspects they may have been a victim of fraud.”
In addition to locking points, customers can continue to earn points as they shop even when spending is locked. As Dorset Echo reports, Sainsbury’s customers are advised to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to protect their accounts. By doing so, shoppers can enjoy the benefits of their loyalty programme while minimising the risk of fraud.
As the festive season approaches, it is crucial for Sainsbury’s customers to be aware of the potential risks and take proactive steps to safeguard their Nectar points. By following the simple steps outlined above and staying informed, shoppers can ensure a secure and enjoyable shopping experience.
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