A Sainsbury's shopper has issued an urgent warning to fellow Nectar Card holders after falling victim to a scam that saw thousands of her loyalty points stolen from her account. The incident underscores a persistent fraud problem that has been circulating since last year and continues to plague customers in 2026.
Customer Discovers Points Vanish Overnight
In a recent TikTok video, a supermarket customer named Jade revealed that she received an email from Nectar thanking her for spending her points, despite not having used them herself. Puzzled by the notification, she immediately checked her Nectar app only to find her balance had plummeted to zero.
Jade, who posts under the username @ionlyworktopayfordisney, explained in her video: 'I went straight onto my Nectar app and discovered that all £69.84 worth of my points had gone.' She detailed that the points were siphoned off in two separate transactions—an initial test using just 10 points, followed by a second payment that drained the remainder.
How the Nectar Points Scam Operates
The scam exploits a significant security vulnerability in the Nectar system. Alarmingly, anyone who obtains a user's account number or barcode can spend their points without any identity verification. The sole exception applies at Argos for transactions exceeding £50, where additional checks are required.
Jade reported that when she contacted Nectar about the theft, she was informed that such incidents are 'unfortunately really common.' The company attributed the issue to account serial numbers being compromised. 'People are literally getting away with stealing hundreds or thousands of pounds worth of points, which is terrible,' the shopper added, expressing her frustration at the ease with which fraudsters can access and misuse accumulated rewards.
Protecting Your Nectar Points from Theft
To combat this growing problem, Nectar introduced a Spend Lock feature in 2025, designed to prevent unauthorised redemptions. This security measure allows users to lock their points, rendering them unusable for spending until manually unlocked.
Step-by-Step Guide to Locking Your Points
To activate this protection, users must have the Nectar app installed on their device. After signing in, navigate to the home page where your points balance is displayed. Below this, the app indicates whether spending is currently locked or unlocked.
If unlocked, simply tap on the 'spending is unlocked' notification and follow the prompts to lock your points. This setting can be reversed at any time by repeating the same steps, though unlocking may experience delays during peak periods or in busy retail environments.
What Happens When Points Are Locked?
When the Spend Lock feature is enabled, you cannot use your points for online or in-store purchases, nor with any Nectar partners except British Airways. Importantly, you can still continue to collect points and benefit from Nectar prices while your balance remains secured.
A Nectar spokesperson previously addressed the issue, stating: 'Nectar is one of the UK's biggest loyalty schemes, with over 24 million members. The security of our customer accounts is our highest priority, and the proportion of those impacted by fraud each year is very small. We have a range of measures which detect, and in many cases prevent fraud, including our Spend Lock feature. Our Nectar Helpline team are on hand to support any customer who suspects they may have been a victim of fraud.'
Raising Awareness to Prevent Further Losses
This incident serves as a critical reminder for all Nectar Card users to regularly monitor their accounts and enable security features. With loyalty points representing real monetary value—often accumulated over years of shopping—protecting them from theft is essential.
As scams evolve and persist, vigilance and proactive measures remain the best defence against fraudsters targeting popular reward schemes. Customers are encouraged to report any suspicious activity immediately to Nectar's support team to help combat this ongoing issue.
