Has anyone dealt with Staples rewards Theft??

Ok, so I have been turning in ink cartridges to staples for a while now, and have received rewards since February I believe, and I have never been able to use them except one. I usually waited til the last day before they expired and then they wouldnt work when using them online or in store they wouldnt work, so i just figured i missed my chance, and would try again next month (i know, not the smartest approach, but thats a different issue).

Anyway, since I kept having non-stop problems with my rewards, I just logged onto my account to check my status on rewards.. Well apparently, EVERY single one of my rewards was redeemed in New York by somebody buying external hard drives both times. One was in Staten Island and the other in Selden... The problem here is that I am from Indiana, and have never been to New York in my life.. Now I dont know if 'New York' shows up if you buy online, or if someone guessed my rewards account number, because I keep my computer clean and scan it constantly for everything, and have never posted any information anywhere.. I cant call the rewards people til Monday to figure this out.. Do you think they will credit me with any of these rewards, or am I screwed?

So has anyone else had this happen, or did i win the unlucky lottery again? lol

That is why you never disclose your rewards account # to others, including give away coupon code in SD or FW since your rewards account # is part of the code. If someone gets hold of your code, it is just as easy as adding some # to start and end of your rewards account # to generate your monthly INK Rewads Check # -

Quote from reminbi2000 : That is why you never disclose your rewards account # to others, including give away coupon code in SD or FW since your rewards account # is part of the code. If someone gets hold of your code, it is just as easy as adding some # to start and end of your rewards account # to generate your monthly INK Rewads Check # -

I know the security basics, as ive never disclosed any important information about anything, to anyone (and ive never given a coupon or anything away).. Im overprotective of my information basically..

The only thing i can think of is when i first set up my account, they said they were going to mail me my rewards member card, and I never received it. I had to request another one about a month later, and finally received that one. So either someone jacked my first card in the mail, or else maybe an ex-employee or someone else that knows the system (seems staples office is based in MA, not too far from NY) and found/took the card.

Quote from reminbi2000 : That is why you never disclose your rewards account # to others, including give away coupon code in SD or FW since your rewards account # is part of the code. If someone gets hold of your code, it is just as easy as adding some # to start and end of your rewards account # to generate your monthly INK Rewads Check # -

here is a pm i got from username cutaoden 2 days ago....

Quote : staples coupons I read your post on the Compaq computer deal today at staples.com. You mentioned that you have used 2 x$30 reward checks on same order. I wonder if you can send those reward checks coupon code to me ? I am currently employee for my local staples, and each reward coupon code that I bring back to store i got 10%. The code must be activated to qualify for the 10%. Please wait for a few days after you'll receive your order, then you can send me those used codes. That 10% will go forward to my local church and saint street de paul nursing home. Thank you so much, Tao

what u think? scammer?

Quote from eddiehaskell : here is a pm i got from username cutaoden 2 days ago....what u think? scammer?

i wont say i know hows staples works internally (cuz i dont), but that definitely sounds fishy to me, and i would say to stay away imo..

Quote from eddiehaskell : here is a pm i got from username cutaoden 2 days ago....what u think? scammer?

Did you send them to the user? Did this take place shortly after you did, if you did?

Quote from Jex : Did you send them to the user? Did this take place shortly after you did, if you did?

nope i never got around to sendin them and now i see this thread so i never will. sounds kinda crazy....he gets 10% then he is gonna donate it to them places??? hmm

This happened to me several months ago. I live in Utah and had two ink rewards checks used up at a store in MD. Again, just like you, I have never been to MD.

I guess I was lucky and had made another transaction myself at a store here in Utah that same day, which was a good argument for the Staples rewards Premier phone line rep, who re-issued both rewards checks.

I called the store in MD and spoke to a manager. He was nice, but was not able to help me with anything. He said they shred rewards checks and coupons at the end of the day.

The guy also bought clearance hard drives or something to the sort (the price of the item ended in .50).

After that, I changed all of my passwords to my email account and Staples rewards account. This happened back when Staples did not have the functionality of printing rewards checks from their website. The two stolen checks were emailed and I did not lose them (I had them in front of me when all of this mess happened).

Since then, I have moved and opened another rewards account at the new address.

I do remember giving out coupons for "free item with minimum purchase" from the old account here on SD Staples coupon thread. Now, I only give coupons via PM. I know that is kind of risky too, but I should be done soon with rewards checks since I am no longer recycling at Staples after the $2 per cartridge change.

Quote from m124 : This happened to me several months ago. I live in Utah and had two ink rewards checks used up at a store in MD. Again, just like you, I have never been to MD. I guess I was lucky and had made another transaction myself at a store here in Utah that same day, which was a good argument for the Staples rewards Premier phone line rep, who re-issued both rewards checks. I called the store in MD and spoke to a manager. He was nice, but was not able to help me with anything. He said they shred rewards checks and coupons at the end of the day. The guy also bought clearance hard drives or something to the sort (the price of the item ended in .50). After that, I changed all of my passwords to my email account and Staples rewards account. This happened back when Staples did not have the functionality of printing rewards checks from their website. The two stolen checks were emailed and I did not lose them (I had them in front of me when all of this mess happened). Since then, I have moved and opened another rewards account at the new address. I do remember giving out coupons for "free item with minimum purchase" from the old account here on SD Staples coupon thread. Now, I only give coupons via PM. I know that is kind of risky too, but I should be done soon with rewards checks since I am no longer recycling at Staples after the $2 per cartridge change.

how much trouble did the Staples rewards people make it when you asked for those coupons back? i wish i would have looked into mine sooner, because mine is 5 rewards i believe, so idk how willing they are going to be to reissue them.. do you think i need to request a new account number or anything? that seems to possibly be the problem if they stole my original member card..

Quote from eddiehaskell : nope i never got around to sendin them and now i see this thread so i never will. sounds kinda crazy....he gets 10% then he is gonna donate it to them places??? hmm

So you purchased $30 reward check from some online coupon seller?

There is a good possibility you made some genuine/legitimate owner's reward check invalid.

It has happened to me in the past , that I received that colorful coupons directly from staples, and by the time I wanted to use it ; it was redeemed

Quote from sap283 : So you purchased $30 reward check from some online coupon seller?

no sasquach...dat aint tha deal.

Quote from frothybroccoli : how much trouble did the Staples rewards people make it when you asked for those coupons back? i wish i would have looked into mine sooner, because mine is 5 rewards i believe, so idk how willing they are going to be to reissue them.. do you think i need to request a new account number or anything? that seems to possibly be the problem if they stole my original member card..

First I called the Staples Rewards regular phone number (I did not know which phone number is which) and the guy said there was nothing they could do. Then I called the office of the president. After a week, same response. Then I called Staples Rewards Premier line and after the rep talked to her supervisor they agreed to this one-time concession of reissuing the checks (there were 2 checks, $30 each).

you probably should still ask for a new number, to try to prevent this from happening again