Martin Lewis has issued an urgent warning to Sainsbury’s customers following a change to the supermarket’s Nectar card.
The Money Saving Expert revealed that the store has introduced a new feature following complaints from shoppers recently.
The new feature Sainsbury’s has added to its Nectar loyalty app is a ‘Spend Lock’. This feature prevents your points from being redeemed without your knowledge, after shoppers claimed their points had been stolen.
The Money Saving Expert team explained that you’ll need to log in to the latest version of the Nectar app to access this feature, reports Birmingham Live.
“You can unlock your points at any time,” they outlined. “When your points are locked, your points balance will show as zero at the checkout in store and online. To use them, you’ll need to unlock them through the app first – this should be instant, but may take longer to show if you do it in a busy store.”
“Only the ‘primary’ Nectar card holder will be able to lock and unlock points. This means that only the person who set up the Nectar account will be able to use the feature.
“Any additional card holders won’t be able to lock or unlock points. If you’re the primary card holder and can’t unlock your points for whatever reason, contact Nectar for help.”
You can still collect points even if your spending is locked, Sainsbury’s stressed. You will also still be able to convert your Nectar points to Avios while your spending is locked. This includes if you have set your Nectar points to convert to Avios automatically.
Fraudsters on social media have reportedly been selling details of thousands of Nectar accounts, leaving many customers in the lurch. A victim shared their dismay when 10,000 points, amounting to £50, were used without their knowledge to purchase an expensive bottle of Remy Cognac just before Christmas.
The fraudulent transaction occurred far from their home. In a similar vein, another individual found her points redeemed across various locations.
Cybersecurity expert Jake Moore from ESET welcomed the security measures but opined they are merely “effectively like putting a plaster over a huge wound”.
He said: “Nectar cards are financially connected cards and should therefore come with the corresponding security and protection as debit and credit cards.
“It’s crucial to maintain strong, unique passwords and monitor your account regularly for any suspicious activity. It is advisable to monitor your account activity frequently to detect and report any unauthorised actions promptly.”