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Has anyone dealt with Staples rewards Theft??

205 28 July 17, 2010 at 01:02 PM in Question
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
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Last Edited by tenderidol December 12, 2011 at 06:47 PM
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Joined Dec 2009
L7: Orc Thief
> bubble2 274 Posts
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kingraph
05-26-2011 at 07:52 AM.
05-26-2011 at 07:52 AM.
Quote from QueensFinest :
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
The last digit is not fixed, but a checksum number.
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Joined Aug 2006
Persona = avatar image
> bubble2 21,113 Posts
Elementary_Watson
05-26-2011 at 11:04 AM.
05-26-2011 at 11:04 AM.
Got scammed. Could have been ccccpn/SDer Club or the Ebay seller. I bought a hard copy $25 off $75 coupon on Ebay and when I went to use it it was already used. The Ebay seller mailed me the coupon via snail mail. Seller lives in roughly the same area and they risked a negative rep so I don't believe it was the seller. Coupon expires 5/30 so there was plenty of time for them to generate a code and validate it.
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Last edited by Elementary_Watson May 26, 2011 at 11:08 AM.
Joined Dec 2008
Permanently Banned
> bubble2 7,935 Posts
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daniel32
05-26-2011 at 11:56 AM.
05-26-2011 at 11:56 AM.
Quote from QueensFinest :
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
How did you know the first five digits?
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Joined Jul 2005
L8: Grand Teacher
> bubble2 3,569 Posts
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nintendoangie
05-26-2011 at 01:13 PM.
05-26-2011 at 01:13 PM.
Quote from The2AMBearArms :
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.
In two parts? What exactly do you mean? Do they split the $100 bonuses into two checks now? (I skipped the promo this last time around.)

Sorry about your run of bad luck.
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Joined Nov 2010
L8: Grand Teacher
> bubble2 3,419 Posts
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The2AMBearArms
05-26-2011 at 01:50 PM.
05-26-2011 at 01:50 PM.
Quote from nintendoangie :
In two parts? What exactly do you mean? Do they split the $100 bonuses into two checks now? (I skipped the promo this last time around.)

Sorry about your run of bad luck.
Nah, the person first bought something for $1.50, and then used the $98.50 balance coupon the next day.

So either

a) They used it for a small purchase the first day because the "seller" only guaranteed it for 24 hours, and needed to use it up or

b) They knew it was stolen, and wanted to use it before I (the real owner) did.
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Joined Aug 2006
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> bubble2 21,113 Posts
Elementary_Watson
05-26-2011 at 01:57 PM.
05-26-2011 at 01:57 PM.
Quote from The2AMBearArms :
Nah, the person first bought something for $1.50, and then used the $98.50 balance coupon the next day.

So either

a) They used it for a small purchase the first day because the "seller" only guaranteed it for 24 hours, and needed to use it up or

b) They knew it was stolen, and wanted to use it before I (the real owner) did.
When you don't use the whole rewards does the unused portion that prints out on the receipt have a new rewards number? I cannot remember. If so, I am thinking they did the small purchase to verify the rewards were legit and if a new rewards number was issued then it would nullify the original rewards number/coupon by virtue of a new rewards number/coupon being issued.

How hard would it be for Staples to validate that the person cashing the rewards check is the same person to whom the rewards were issued? Since these rewards are non-transferable.
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Last edited by Elementary_Watson May 26, 2011 at 02:01 PM.
Joined Nov 2010
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> bubble2 3,419 Posts
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The2AMBearArms
05-26-2011 at 02:03 PM.
05-26-2011 at 02:03 PM.
Quote from mathfaster :
When you don't use the whole rewards does the unused portion that prints out on the receipt have a new rewards number? I cannot remember. If so, I am thinking they did the small purchase to verify the rewards were legit and if a new rewards number was issued then it would nullify the original rewards number/coupon by virtue of a new rewards number/coupon being issued.

How hard would it be for Staples to validate that the person cashing the rewards check is the same person to whom the rewards were issued? Since these rewards are non-transferable.
Nah, the balance coupon is a random 16 digit sequence that doesn't contain the original Rewards number in digits 6-15 like the original certificate does. However, even if the rewards account was canceled, it doesn't cancel the unused certificates. I know this because one of my rewards was not used, and the lady at Rewards told me to use the old coupon with the new account. I checked and it still works fine.

The only real way Staples could validate this would be to check IDs, which would be a pain for them. It would be much easier to just improve their coupon algorithm.
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Joined Jul 2005
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> bubble2 3,569 Posts
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nintendoangie
05-26-2011 at 02:18 PM.
05-26-2011 at 02:18 PM.
Quote from The2AMBearArms :
Nah, the person first bought something for $1.50, and then used the $98.50 balance coupon the next day.

So either

a) They used it for a small purchase the first day because the "seller" only guaranteed it for 24 hours, and needed to use it up or

b) They knew it was stolen, and wanted to use it before I (the real owner) did.
How did they know where the balance coupon was redeemed. I don't think those show up under your redeemed rewards history, do they?
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Joined Aug 2006
Persona = avatar image
> bubble2 21,113 Posts
Elementary_Watson
05-26-2011 at 02:21 PM.
05-26-2011 at 02:21 PM.
Quote from nintendoangie :
How did they know where the balance coupon was redeemed. I don't think those show up under your redeemed rewards history, do they?
They are linked to your purchases. List your past rewards. Click on the coupon number in the line detail. It will jump to the purchase it was redeemed under.
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Last edited by Elementary_Watson May 26, 2011 at 02:34 PM.
Joined Nov 2010
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> bubble2 3,419 Posts
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The2AMBearArms
05-26-2011 at 02:34 PM.
05-26-2011 at 02:34 PM.
Quote from nintendoangie :
How did they know where the balance coupon was redeemed. I don't think those show up under your redeemed rewards history, do they?
Yup, they both showed up. The balance coupon was redeemed over 60 miles away, the very next day. Kind of strange.
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Joined Jul 2005
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> bubble2 3,569 Posts
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nintendoangie
05-26-2011 at 03:37 PM.
05-26-2011 at 03:37 PM.
Quote from The2AMBearArms :
Yup, they both showed up. The balance coupon was redeemed over 60 miles away, the very next day. Kind of strange.
Quite. Call the first store and ask them if they remember someone buying a pencil (or whatever was $1.50) with a $100 Rewards check. vomit
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Joined Nov 2010
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> bubble2 3,419 Posts
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The2AMBearArms
05-26-2011 at 03:39 PM.
05-26-2011 at 03:39 PM.
Quote from nintendoangie :
Quite. Call the first store and ask them if they remember someone buying a pencil (or whatever was $1.50) with a $100 Rewards check. vomit
The thing is, even if they did, what good will it do? Even if the person used a credit card to pay the balance for the next purchase, Staples doesn't seem too interested in cracking down.
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Joined Jul 2005
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> bubble2 3,569 Posts
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nintendoangie
05-26-2011 at 03:42 PM.
05-26-2011 at 03:42 PM.
Quote from The2AMBearArms :
The thing is, even if they did, what good will it do? Even if the person used a credit card to pay the balance for the next purchase, Staples doesn't seem too interested in cracking down.
That is true. It cracks me up how they shut down the dot-com coupons in-store now, but this other (major IMO) problem seems to not bother them much.
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Joined Nov 2010
AKA metsfan
> bubble2 1,113 Posts
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penner42
05-26-2011 at 09:47 PM.
05-26-2011 at 09:47 PM.
Quote from The2AMBearArms :
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.
Same exact thing happened to me. Danbury, MA and Londonderry, NH? Storage bags, shipping boxes, Nook Color.

I sent Staples an email, and am really not too worried about them clearing the situation up, but it sucks (for them). They really should fix the system.
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Joined Nov 2010
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> bubble2 3,419 Posts
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The2AMBearArms
05-26-2011 at 11:12 PM.
05-26-2011 at 11:12 PM.
Quote from penner42 :
Same exact thing happened to me. Danbury, MA and Londonderry, NH? Storage bags, shipping boxes, Nook Color.

I sent Staples an email, and am really not too worried about them clearing the situation up, but it sucks (for them). They really should fix the system.
Wow! Mine was in Danvers, MA, and then Manchester, NH, but the $98.50 portion was indeed used on a Nook color. What is going on here?
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