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

ccccp is selling $20 rewards certificates. can staples shut the website down?

Staples IT is a bunch of incompetent idiots. If they could just hire a decent programmer to code the recycling coupon codes off of a simple Checksum (INSTEAD OF 5 FIXED NUMBERS, YOUR REWARDS NUMBER, AND ANOTHER FIXED NUMBER), then this thread wouldn't even exist.

Do you think I am lying? LET ME GUESS, if you are a premier member and didn't participate in the $5 / cartridge bonus last month, your coupon code for this April's recycling (that came out last week) is 38696 + your rewards number + 9.

Want a coupon code for $25 off your phone or online order of $75 or more? 78218 + your rewards number + 6.
Want a coupon code for $25 off your phone or online order of $100 or more? 12544 + your rewards number + 4.
Want a coupon code for a free MP4 player with your phone or online order of $100 or more? 67014+ your rewards number + 2.
Want a coupon code for a free Slideshot USB Video Camera with your phone or online order of $100 or more? 75246 + your rewards number + 0.
Want a coupon code for a free Twist Video Camera + MP4 Player with your phone or online order of $100 or more? 58316 + your rewards number + 2.

Did you get an e-mail on May 23th from Staples for a $25 off $100 coupon? I bet it is 90919 + your rewards number + 3

Am I right? Do I get the grand prize?

I really hope Staples is reading this thread because they are losing money by having an idiotic and archaic system to store coupon codes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checksum

I just got hosed. My $100 ink rewards from April was used in two parts, first in Massachusetts, then in New Hampshire. I've never been to New Hampshire in my life.

Dang that freakin sucks. My goal was to keep my Ink Rewards saved up until I had around $400 to buy a laptop, but I guess since these rewards are being stolen by others, I should spend them immediately as they become available.

The2AMBearArms, have you contacted Staples about this yet? If so, what are they going to do? I mean I'd like to save up my rewards but at the moment I don't think it's a very intelligent move seeing how people's rewards are being used by others.

Is there anything I can do to protect myself? Aside from not posting my rewards number online and keeping e-mails and passwords confidential, I don't really see a way given Staples easy-to-crack codes.

Thanks, yeah, I called Staples right away and they closed my account, and gave me a new number. After that is complete (they said it takes 48 hours) they'll reissue the check that was lost by mail. Honestly, I don't really think there is anything you can do to protect youself. I don't think they're getting the numbers online or from paper receipts. I think they're just using random number generators and getting lucky.

I'm glad they took care of you. Did you have to do a lot of convincing on your part or did they just believed you right away? When they closed your account and open a new one for you, are all your previous transactions and purchases going to be restored in the new account so as to not start back at $0 to reach premier?

Nah, they took my word for it. As for the other question, I'll have to see when the 48 hours is up and I can register my new account number. I hope the old purchases are all there.

Good that it seems to be resolved. I am keeping an eye on my rewards just in case...

As a matter of fact, just this week, there were 3 separate threads involving deals that required the purchase of $20 rewards or multiples thereof from ebay and other shady sites - rewards that are in all likelihood being stolen and sold.

It's still going on, which is what really pisses me off.

I bet this asshole is the one who sold my Rewards:

http://cgi.ebay.com/STAPLES-100-R...3368158a4e

Nobody legitimately has that many premier accounts that they bought $50 worth of HP ink on. There is just no way these rewards are not stolen.

It's still going on, which is what really pisses me off.

I bet this asshole is the one who sold my Rewards:

http://cgi.ebay.com/STAPLES-100-R...3368158a4e

Nobody legitimately has that many premier accounts that they bought $50 worth of HP ink on. There is just no way these rewards are not stolen.