Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis warns Sainsbury's shoppers about the new 'Spend Lock' feature in the Nectar loyalty app that prevents unauthorized point redemption.
Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis has issued a warning to Sainsbury's shoppers regarding a new ' Spend Lock ' feature introduced to the Nectar loyalty app. This feature prevents the redemption of points without the user's explicit consent. The implementation follows complaints from customers in recent months who alleged that their points had been stolen. Lewis' team, working with BBC and ITV, confirmed these reports.
To utilize the 'Spend Lock' feature, users need to log in to the latest version of the Nectar app. According to Money Saving Expert (MSE), shoppers can unlock their points at any time. When points are locked, the balance will display as zero at checkout, both in-store and online. To use the points, users must unlock them through the app first. While the unlocking process is typically instant, it might take longer to reflect in a busy store. Only the primary Nectar cardholder can lock and unlock points. This means only the individual who set up the Nectar account has control over this feature. Additional cardholders are unable to lock or unlock points. In case the primary cardholder encounters issues unlocking their points, contacting Nectar customer support is recommended. Notably, users can still collect points even if their spending is locked. They can also continue to convert Nectar points to Avios, including automatic conversions. Reports indicate that fraudsters have been exploiting social media platforms to sell thousands of Nectar account details, leaving many customers unaware of unauthorized point usage until it was too late. One victim shared their experience of having their 10,000-point balance, worth £50, spent just days before Christmas on an expensive bottle of Remy Cognac, despite their intention to use it for the festive season. The points were used in a store located hundreds of miles from their residence, according to BirminghamLive. Another woman discovered her points had been spent in various locations, with transactions separated by considerable distances.Jake Moore, a global cybersecurity advisor at ESET, acknowledged the new changes as a positive first step but likened them to 'effectively like putting a plaster over a huge wound'. He emphasized that Nectar cards, being financially linked, should offer security and protection comparable to debit and credit cards. Moore stressed the importance of using strong, unique passwords and regularly monitoring account activity for any suspicious actions. He also advised frequent monitoring of account activity to promptly detect and report any unauthorized activity
Technology Nectar Sainsbury's Martin Lewis Spend Lock Point Theft Cybersecurity App Security
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