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

[FREEFORME]

so Shoppers took the points from all of "us" that were trading them ...right??? because it goes against the terms and conditions.. am i understanding this correctly?

[cabmonk]

Yes shoppers people were trading points and yes that is against your terms of use. That does nothing about the problem of people getting into other peoples accounts and changing personal information,names,email addresses,etc. That is fraud and something that shoppers seems to be content to look the other way on. So trading points or not, shoppers is turning a blind eye to people committing fraud on your costumers by taking advantage of a very lackluster security system. I realize that if shoppers would find out about trading points in any other way they would take back points and possibly close the account. That is one thing, the big issue that most people are concerned with is the possibility of identity theft and how easily your system is compromised.

[hollyhill]

Thank-you everyone for the kind words of support.
And thanks Boo that was very well put!

Oh and to answer a few questions. I had just under 150,000 points. I did participate in TAF events but that was more than a year ago. I did trade a few times. I did send my receipts in for MIRs. I didn't use any bonus point coupons (never mind to excess). My ID wasn't changed. My points disappeared. SDm did not say they revoked or took my points they just said they won't return them because I was trading (which I dumbly admitted out of ignorance) but I only trade 4 times in a year.

I just cancelled my SDM MC card. I don't trust it.

Trying to rebalance my remaining savings to cover more than I intended. Thank-goodness, I have SOF points so I hope they have their free turkey deal this year. I have enough SOF points for 2 turkeys WOOT! I love turkey leftovers!

And I suggest anyone who has been trading. Spend your points now and get a new card!

[I Need Minions]

I've been reading about this last night and today... I'm sorry to all of you who are missing points. I don't have that many as I've only recently begun to put forth some effort in making the points work for me. They still appear to all be there as of today.

I'm interested to see if Shoppers will publicly release that they either revoked the points or if they were stolen (I'm guessing stolen, based on seeing info changed and that non-traders have had their vanish also).

If they were in fact stolen, it should make absolutely no difference to Shoppers whether or not the person was trading or transferring them. Theft is theft. What I'm gathering from what I've seen from Shoppers is this: "We don't care if your points were stolen, you traded once, so it's your fault." Somewhere there's a point thief with, I imagine, 6 XBoxes and maybe a few cameras for sale on Craigslist giggling with glee over this.

Shoppers should have the technical know how to detect where all the points have gone. They should, if they were stolen, be saying 'we are investigating this to the fullest extent'. It seems that in most cases there were high point balances. Perfect if you're wanting to steal points.

If it is, in fact, Shoppers revoking points based on trading activity, well, then they owe the people who haven't ever traded or transferred but are still missing points anyways. I'm also curious that if this is the case, why they targeted just a few people with high point balances? And why not tell people they've had their points revoked? It's not making much sense.

I think they were stolen. It's the only thing that makes sense to me. Shoppers needs to, regardless of any violations of TOS, investigate this. Shoppers is dropping the ball on this. They need to jack up the security of their website to at least requiring a login and password, and I think they need to make some sort of statement whether it was theft, or they were revoked. A gift of a shiny new car to all those affected, and myself, of course, would also not go amiss.

[FallenPixels]

I just called regarding my missing points (I kept forgetting to do so during open hours!), and I got through to someone who usually works in IT. I told him I had 8xxx+ points stolen, and he gave me 8000 + a number that brings my current total up to a round # of points "because he likes round numbers", and I couldn't remember the exact # anyway.

When I called, I said that I had points stolen - though not 300k points (etc). He said those people lost their points because they were trading.

He was a nice guy, but they were super busy so I didn't press him more. Just thought I'd share.

I'm so sorry for all of you who have lost your points... as I said before I found out mine were stolen, I'll happily split mine between those of you who aren't getting them back.

Interesting that their privacy policy suddenly means nothing

[abbasgirl]

I've participated in 2 TAF events in the past. My points are fine and I'm not worried about them being stolen because of those events. But I think I will ask for a new card anyway, just in case someone does hack into the site. That way SDM can't point to the TAF events as a compromise in my account. I also won't be participating in any more TAFs.
As far as whether or not trading should be cancelled on this site... I think there should just be a warning as a sticky on the trading site. It would be hard to monitor what people trade for and the traders are adults, so they are responsible for their own actions.
I really feel for the people who lost their points and I do think SDM needs to improve the security on their site. But I do see their point about not giving them back. You see warnings from businesses everywhere saying that they are not responsible for lost or stolen items. Also, we can't assume that they haven't investigated or dealt with the person/people who stole the points just because they aren't telling people. The fact that they are telling people that they aren't giving them back because of trades may indicate that they've found a link between some of the people who lost points that that points to a common thief and they just aren't sharing the information.

[Gabblot]

Thank you for this! Common sense goes a long way.

[MillieH]

Many of us have made 'coupon' friends.. I've gotten Christmas cards and gifts from my coupon friends.. I've met at least 10 people from SC and a few of them have come to my house to pick up coupons or items. They clearly said we could transfer to family and friends. They didn't specify what type of friends they should be. They tell us to transfer yet tell us not to give out our numbers to anyone. They let someone STEAL their customers points/$$ and instead of treating it as a crime and try to correct it.. they blame their customers. Its an odd system. I recently bought GCs from them that ended up having a 0 balance. It will be interesting to see if they find a way to blame me for that.

I did post a thread on SDM facebook page yesterday and someone responded who isn't a member of SC but experienced a similar problem a while back.

Sheri Visscher-Leifso My account had this happen a few months ago. It wasn't until I tried to sign into the online calculator that I noticed I could not log on with my information. When I called the HO, they told me that the name on the account did not match my own. They were not going to give me any of the points and offered to have me open a new account. The original card had my name on the back!!! After several hours on the phone, and a few tears... a wonderful "supervisor" agreed that I wasn't a thief and put my original amount of points earned put back on a new account.

I asked if she was a member of smartcanucks

Sheri Visscher-Leifso I was not a member of Smart Canucks. I was just "checking" my point balance on line when I couldn't log in. Once they found another name on my account they froze my card... So I couldn't redeem what points were on it.

[theweave]

To all the wonderful people of Smart Canucks:

Both Chris and I think that it is a terrible thing that people have had their points stolen and in the case of Holly, being denied the return of their points based on "trading". This is hardly a reason to deny returning the points to her. Can they, in factm, point to the exact transactions where (I am assuming) she made "trades" for points, and prove that they were not to a family member or "friend", as is in the Terms of Service? I am sure that the people we make trades with here are considered our "friends". They are certainly not enemies.

So we think that SDM is using the term "friend" very loosely as a way to not return the points to her (and if there are others we have missed here).

The situation still remains whereby Shoppers Drug Mart has a very lax security system in place for the Optimimum Program, and this is something that they refuse to admit. Why won't they admit it? Well one reason could be that it could possibly expose them to being legally responsible for the loss of points by people who hack accounts, thus they blame the user for "trading". A simple way of getting around the issue.

Chris did lead a group of the last Tell A Friend event and had no problems whatsoever with it. Peoples card numbers were collected, saved, then destroyed once all of them confirmed to Chris their points were in their account.

That said, he will not be running a group this year and probably will not participate in it either, lest he be accused of any wrongdoing by either someone here or SDM. He does by the way, use a third card for any transactions like this, but nonetheless will not be participating in it either. Also, he will no longer be trading points with any other members of SC, save and except for the ones that he has traded with before and that we have trust in.

As for what to do about the "rules" here on SC... I nor Chris offer no opinions on it. We love this site and it is run by exceptional people. Forums are not an easy thing to run, Chris has run one before and it was a lot of work every single day with it.

We will leave it to the powers that be to decide if new rules have to be implemented on here.

In the meantime, I think we should keep up the pressure on SDM to change their login process to that of something more secure. In the end, everyone comes out ahead in that situation!

[MiaowTheCat]

I recently bought GCs from them that ended up having a 0 balance.

Holy s***! Millie, was this during the promo for GCs? Didn't you buy a ton of those???

[rebecca123]

I am sure that the people we make trades with here are considered our "friends". They are certainly not enemies.

So we think that SDM is using the term "friend" very loosely as a way to not return the points to her (and if there are others we have missed here).

I think the whole problem from SDM's point of view isn't whether or not you consider fellow SCers friends or not, but that there was trading with these friends, at least in some cases. I don't know the full details of each person's situation, so can't speculate on how many were actually trading. But I do agree they should add a password.

[$avvy$hopper]

Professional, to the point, to the crux of the prob & weighted with your background and experience.

Thank you.

Agreed, Boo's message is very well written and a good call to action. Let's hope SDM listens! Thanks Boo!

[jemwars]

I'm wondering if any one has filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau??
They are usually very good at mediating issues! And I know that Shoppers won't like the idea of all of your complaints with the Better Business Bureau. If the Better Business Bureau believes they are in the wrong the will lose there standing with them ....and no business wants that. I don't know....might be an option.

[seventhwave]

this is what I'm thinking is happening.

A LOT of people had their points stolen - and redeemed. By the sounds of it to the tune of quite a bit of money.

SDM is finding ANY reason necessary to not return the points because they will be out that money since the other points have already been redeemed.

Shady yes, and ridiculous.

I would cause the biggest s&*@storm imaginable if I was one of you. For real. IF they did not want you to trade, THERE SHOULD NOT BE A TRADE FEATURE. end of story!

[Jezebel]

I spoke with them again today and will be faxing my receipts and confirmation e-mails of points transferred as well they want a copy of my DL....I spoke with "Anna" who I am suppose to make my fax Attn to her...I have NOT been told I will be loosing my points as of yet ...so I am still holding on to hope...

I did not ...use this card for TAF Event
...............or multiple trades
...............I gave it to 1 person on SC
...............Use BP coupons more than once
...............nor have lots of activity on the card
...............have any of my info changed other than my e-mail addy

I am sorry for those who have lost their points as it really does not seem fair....if you traded fine take those points back ! but the ones earned should be given back !