Optimum Point Theft *please read*

[MiltonFreecycle]

This is nasty.

Anne - great suggestion!! I'm doing this over the weekend.

Zonny - I have to admit I agree with you 100%

[xox2010]

A few months back I read a similar post by another active sc'er who had her points stolen soon after she gave her card # out to someone so they could transfer points to her. It makes me VERY wary when/if I do an auction for SDM points. Thankfully, I've only traded with well known SC'ers who wouldn't do such a thing.I truly hope the situation is rectified soon.

[tjthemanto]

If the points are already redeemed by the thief for various goods, how exactly will they give it back to the victim ?

I am assuming they will have to give the victim cash or GC worthy of the stole points ... or maybe there is a way of getting the already redeemed points back to the victim .

[walkinglady]

Very sad news for our SC community.
Maybe SDM should confirm with the transferor(the person from whose account the points are taken) when the amount of points is above a certain limit. When they have approval then the points are transferred. Very sorry for the SCer who lost the points and let us hope SDM will give back the points she lost.

[ccmp1974]

Sad Just the reason why I never trade sdm points or give my # to anyone.

[lotus]

that's so terrible, I really feel for who this happened to. it would be so wise for whoever is responsible to come forth for this while it's your choice to. you know you're in the wrong and coming forward will likely make the consequences easier to deal with. you're going to have to deal with them regardless.

They might be a good person in a bad place, we dont know.

that's a very kind thought, sally. a nice reminder and extends a hand to someone who should by all means take it.

I will be setting up a card for people to donate to if this situation isnt rectified.

+1

[annedougherty]

Absolutely unbelieveable that someone would do that! Good advice, Anne, I just signed my DH up for an Optimum card to tx my points to as a back up since I have given my Optimum # out alot via SC.

I'm really taken aback though - I mean its more than stealing - it's also identify theft I would imagine. I hope they come forward.

Yeah, it's not that I don't trust the people that I'm trading with, it's just that it's much better to be safe than sorry, because it would make me ill if this happened to me. I can't imagine how this person feels that this has happened too. They must be sick over it.

[annedougherty]

That's awful! I feel really badly for the victim here.

But I'm confused. Why don't we want the person who did this to be caught and punished for this? Why is it OK to sweep their crime under the rug as long as the person gets their points back? This was THEFT, a fairly significant one. It could cause SDM to change their policies and bring us to the demise of our SC Tell a Friend events. There's no excuse of 'not thinking straight' to steal from someone.

Z

I agree! It's hard to believe someone could do something so revolting, and it would be nice to think that maybe there's some sort of explanation like they needed to feed their family. But I doubt it. Seems like this person is nothing but an opportunist.

[exitmanifesto]

I'm a bit confused and this is obviously a terrible situation but how exactly can you steal SDM points? I just got my Optimum card a few weeks ago so I want to prevent this from happening to me.

[Sally888]

that's so terrible, I really feel for who this happened to. it would be so wise for whoever is responsible to come forth for this while it's your choice to. you know you're in the wrong and coming forward will likely make the consequences easier to deal with. you're going to have to deal with them regardless.



that's a very kind thought, sally. a nice reminder and extends a hand to someone who should by all means take it.



+1

By no means do I ever think its ok to steal, no matter your situation, but I am respecting that the person who was stolen form wants to give them a chance to come forward and avoid criminal charges. I've never stolen before, not even a small item from a store. I'd look and feel so bad Id turn myself in haah.

[pskov]

Really dont understand how it technically possible? How can he or she stole these points without a Shoppers optimum card or ID card for replacement?
Really Wow, I hope everything will be fine.

[Freeat50]

It's completely believable. I feel very bad for the person it happened to, but this is the internet, and everyone needs to be careful what sort of personal information they share with others.

[mrsjanuary]

gross

hope you find this dirtbag!

[Jeniana]

If this was done the way I think (the thief transferred points from the victim's account to their own, then redeemed the points on their card) this is actually very easy to do. To log into an account, all you need is the person's Optimum number and postal code. From there you can transfer points to any other account. So if you're sending someone points, and they're mailing you coupons, then they have all they need to drain your account. That's one reason I've never traded Optimum points. I really think that it should be harder to get into a Shoppers account online - you should be able to set a password and have that be the only way to get into the account, postal code and Optimum number shouldn't be all you need.

I hope that this person is caught, and punished accordingly, but I do think Shoppers should make it harder to get into the account.

[matrix82]

That is awful. Why could someone do something like that? Just awful.

I do hope that if the person does get found that their IP address gets banned from SC. I am saddened by such greed.

Everyone who has done a trade using points, do what you can to protect the points you have, so this doesn't happen to you.

I also hope that the person gets caught.