Regarding the Recent Shoppers Drug Mart Optimum Points Events - Please Read

[smf008]

Tis a slippery slope.

[mellyskater]

I personally have done many trades over the past few years and to date have not had my account hacked or points stolen BUT since the redemption I only have 1000 points in my account and not really shopping at this time of year. IF I do start shopping at shoppers again I will probably open a card in my husbands name and use that one JUST IN CASE. especially with them rejecting with such a low # of trades/transfers

[felisha]

I am still hearing of people who say only 3 digits are *** are starred on the receipt ..so maybe its not that hard to guess those 3 *** digits . Plus if you find the receipt outside a particular store ..you are probably from that area so its not hard to guess a couple of postal codes from that area either .

My store only has three digits masked with '***'. Earlier this year, with the old cash register, I even got receipts displaying the entire 9 digits.

[Daisiefire]

Fir the people taking receipts from the garbage: The people could be getting receipts from people who didn't have a card and going in and putting the points on their card.

[tinkb]

I'm curious to see that if you ask for your information if they will give it to you. I feel like we're not getting the full story from SDM.

[Minou]

For the recent Johnsons/Huggies/Nestle baby contest for 1,000,000 optimum points, they had a no-purchase necessary entry option. On a piece of paper, you had to write an essay and provide your address and contact information along with your Shoppers Optimum number. Even Shoppers isn't playing safe with customer information by encouraging this. Besides, when you return something, you need to give your postal code.

Not good. They really need to make that login more secure.

[tjthemanto]

People though have also been known to steal receipts like that from a garbage can outside of a store, sdm, walmart etc. Then go back inside to steal high priced items on the receipt. To then go the returns counter with the receipt and do a return on the item they just stole.

True but wouldn't that only work if the customer paid by cash ?

Usually most people pay by credit card or debit & generally the refund is issued only on the original CC or debit card ..so these people who are stealing the receipts would also have to present the original CC or denit card which they don't have .

[hollyhill]

Wow, am I ever naive. Can't believe how ingenious these crooks are and the nerve! And Carly I hope there is no link between last years ripoff and this years SDM fiasco. Does anyone know if they ever caught the person from last year?

My update: Tried to go see the pharmasist at my SDM yesterday, he wasn't working argh! He was there the night I was left standing with a cart full or diabetic supplies, christmas gifts, stocking stuffers and food ($375 worth!) and NO points. And he said he would see what he could do, but I haven't heard from him. So I thought a friendly visit/ reminder was in order. His hours this week makes it difficult to get in to see him, but I might be able to swing it on Weds. Any other news?

[khannap2001]

I contacted star reporter for my concerns and I mentioned this issue too.
I am waiting for her response if she can really do something regarding this.

I was not aware that optimum points shouldn't be traded. If thats the case then I agree we all should follow the rules.
But at the same time I believe SDM should look into this matter as a company. If they know that this similar issue has happened last year also then they should either stop this points transfer or make their system such a way that points stealing is not possible.
They cant simply get rid of this issue by saying that there was trasnfer on your account so we wont look into this. They should first prove that trasnfer of points is not as per their terms and conditions. Can they really prove it for particular transfer that receipent has accpeted something in return?
I mean in terms of law nothing stands if they cant prove anything. Even if there is no evidence against a criminal then law cant give any punishment.That person will be innocent till anything is proved.
SDM knows that only group of people is affected and such things have happend in past also and consumers didnt do anything against them.
I believe they are running a business and if they cant protect their consumers then they shouldn't stand in market.
I am in software and I know they can easily enforce alerts like this - if there are more than N number of transfers on one's account during timeperiod then raise on their account and their CS should contact customer by mail or phone and ask reasons about it. I mean they should be proactive rather than blaming consumer for everything.

They can raise or configure system so it wont aceept if BP is used more than once.I know in Zellers you cant use same BP coupon more than once on same account.
If you call there HO every agent will have different view point some will say you can use more than once but in different transaction and some will say you can't.
I believe if there is rule that it should be enforced by company and not left on their staff view point on or consumer conscience.
I believe they dont look into these concerns because at last they are benefited whem someones account is frozen because they wont have to allow a redemption for them. So, technically finacially good for them and at same time they make consumer feel gulity.

[tjthemanto]

Wow, am I ever naive. Can't believe how ingenious these crooks are and the nerve! And Carly I hope there is no link between last years ripoff and this years SDM fiasco. Does anyone know if they ever caught the person from last year?

My update: Tried to go see the pharmasist at my SDM yesterday, he wasn't working argh! He was there the night I was left standing with a cart full or diabetic supplies, christmas gifts, stocking stuffers and food ($375 worth!) and NO points. And he said he would see what he could do, but I haven't heard from him. So I thought a friendly visit/ reminder was in order. His hours this week makes it difficult to get in to see him, but I might be able to swing it on Weds. Any other news?

Most SDM's are franchise types operations . Almost always the chief Pharmacist in any SDM store is also the owner/operator of that particular store ( franchise ) ..so you are probably ( in almost all the cases ) speaking to the owner when you speak to a pharmacist in a SDM .

That pharmacist ( owner ) has more say than the SDM manager in that location ..the SDM manager is just an employee like any other employee in that store ..the only difference being that the manager is making a few bucks more .

[dariusz8]

My store only has three digits masked with '***'. Earlier this year, with the old cash register, I even got receipts displaying the entire 9 digits.

lossing that reciept could have been costly.

[$avvy$hopper]

My store only has three digits masked with '***'. Earlier this year, with the old cash register, I even got receipts displaying the entire 9 digits.

I remember getting a receipt with my entire number printed...it's because the invitation to do the customer survey was on it. I figure they do that so there's one less step in doing the survey (i.e. fishing for your card). It made me nervous though and that was before all this other stuff happened. I always black it out even before shreadding.
Indeed, losing a receipt wth all 9 digits is quite the risk now.

[Silk]

I remember getting a receipt with my entire number printed...it's because the invitation to do the customer survey was on it. I figure they do that so there's one less step in doing the survey (i.e. fishing for your card). It made me nervous though and that was before all this other stuff happened. I always black it out even before shreadding.
Indeed, losing a receipt wth all 9 digits is quite the risk now.

OMG. you are right! I had checked a handful of receipts after reading some of the posts and was relieved that all the #s had the *** in the number (although I agree, easy for someone with a decoder/software program to come up with legit #s).

After reading your post, I found 2 receipts with those surveys and they both have all the digits in my card # revealed!

And another scary thought.. on a couple of occasions I have had cashiers offer to pass my card for the points when there was a customer right behind me who didn't have a card. I was happy for the free points. I remember being concerned that the customer would have my card # on their bill, but then relaxed when I saw digits were replaced by ***. But now I know, not if there's a survey code on the receipt!

Thanks, $avvy$hopper for pointing this out!

Silk

[cabmonk]

True but wouldn't that only work if the customer paid by cash ?

Usually most people pay by credit card or debit & generally the refund is issued only on the original CC or debit card ..so these people who are stealing the receipts would also have to present the original CC or denit card which they don't have .

I've had clerks refund me cash when the original purchase was a credit card transaction by mistake. I have even said I don't have my card on me can I get it in cash. The clerk shouldn't but often do it.

[Doda]

I'm so scared about these scams that I got new card for my hubby yesterday...
I have never traded ANY points or never been RAOK'ed any, but as we can see I doesn't matter if you did or not...