Air Miles Cash Redemptions Temporarily Suspended Due To Fraud


Air Miles Card

If you were thinking of taking advantage of the Rexall Air Miles redemption offer this weekend or simply redeeming for some groceries elsewhere, think again.  Air Miles quietly suspended all Air Miles Cash redemptions yesterday leaving stores confused to why the system was not working. It looks like we will not have those redemptions back in the short term either.

A message on their site explains that “through our regular fraud monitoring processes, we have identified irregular activity occurring within a small number of in-store AIR MILES Cash transactions, where Cash Miles have been stolen… In a desire to protect AIR MILES Cash Miles, we have temporarily removed the AIR MILES Cash option for in-store purchases”.

They do not seem to know how long that will take.  In the mean time, you can redeem your Air Miles for select gift cards and e-vouchers including Cineplex, GAP, Kernels Popcorn, PizzaPizza, Staples, Toys R Us and Ultimate Dining Cards.

A full list of Air Miles Cash online rewards can be found here.

This was probably a long time coming.  Unlike many reward cards, you can check an Air Miles balance online without even the simple PIN needed for login.  Once you know a card is active and has miles in it, the Air Miles App requires the PIN but many other mobile wallet systems do not.  Have you ever taken a screenshot of your e-cards for easier access when data is an issue in store?  They can use a similar method and photoshop the barcodes and numbers to make multiple cards and redeem.

You can protect your Air Miles Cash account from My Profile when logged in online or in the Air Miles App by hitting Lock My Cash Account at the bottom of the My Profile menu.  Once you are ready to redeem, you can hit unlock and lock it again after.  Since it does not appear that the thieves have actually accessed accounts, unlike the PC Plus thefts, that should keep your hard earned points safe.

 


11 responses to “Air Miles Cash Redemptions Temporarily Suspended Due To Fraud”

  1. Jonathan says:

    Oh AirMiles 🙁

  2. adora says:

    That’s a shame. I was counting on the yearly miles-back promotion for Easter. 🙁

    But I guess it is difficult for them. You really only need the bar code to steal Air Miles. I’m actually surprised that it took this long for thieves to catch on. Adding security would mean inconvenience for us.

    • FallenPixels says:

      Hopefully they have it back up and running soon. They don’t need the added bad publicity of Air Miles Cash being down for an extended time after the Dream Miles fiasco

  3. Darlene says:

    That’s so funny,
    I was at rexall, last week, and $30.00 cash miles were use, and it was NOT on my receipt. I called “air miles” and it was corrected right away.!!

    • FallenPixels says:

      You are the first person I have heard of that actually lost points (compared to PC who didn’t admit to it until lots of people went public with stolen points)

  4. fed up says:

    I think I am done collecting AM as this is just another reson for them to not reward us. I would not be surprised if this is not temporary but permanent. People deserve to have AM stolen if they did not LOCK their account when they have more than 95 to be cashed in. Why do the rest of us have to suffer for their stupidity? I will spend my money elsewhere. So nice to know we can get e-vouchers at stores I do not shop at. I am also angry that it takes weeks to get the AM at Sobeys/Metro but the LCBO and others show within a few days! Total BS!!!!

    • FallenPixels says:

      In fairness, you have to keep an eye on it. Mine tends to unlock with each app update so I check it each week when I check my Load & Go offers

  5. Christopher says:

    Air Miles is nearing extinction; I’d cash in if I were most of you and throw away the card.

    • FallenPixels says:

      If there are stores you would use that you can cash in for, a lot of people only earn (and so only redeem) at grocery stores and have no need for the ones offered as evouchers

  6. Ciel says:

    Rexall’s flyer has a weekend promotion that involves the redemption of 285 Cash Miles to get 100 bonus AM wus a minimum amount ($50) this weekend. Guess that promotion is toast.
    The only times I do not need a PIN for AM is when accessing my Sobeys AM offers-card number is all it takes.
    Think it’s time for AM to redo their newsletters. While they usually show one’s Cash Miles and Dream Miles, the links for shopping offers go directly into one’s account without a PIN entry. That is not good!
    I feel sad for the AM card members that planned on using their Cash Miles at the stores and cannot now. Yes, I thought of PC Plus and the gift card purchase embargo when I read the AM e-mail tonight.

  7. teeny says:

    I usually put money into the Foodland Gift Card promotion (get 150 AM wus$150). This promotion is starting in tomorrow’s flyer but I am really hesitant to participate if ability for future redemption at the grocery store remains this uncertain. We only redeem our AM for grocery so I’m quite disappointed this hasn’t been resolved, especially since there is currently no way to redeem online for an e-voucher or gift card/certificate.


















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