Police urge shoppers to check Nectar loyalty cards after fraud alert (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Police urge shoppers to check Nectar loyalty cards after fraud alert

3:25pm Tuesday 21st February 2012 in Local

Police are asking Nectar loyalty card owners to check their points after being alerted to a potential fraud.

Officers believe customers of Sainsbury’s in Chippenham have had their cards swapped for blank ones.

In the first incident, on Friday, December 7 after 2.15pm, a customer used her Nectar card while paying for fuel at the store petrol station. At the time her card had close to £200 worth of points on it.

Then on Friday, December 14 after 3.30pm, another customer used her Nectar card while paying for fuel. This time the card contained nearly £125 worth of points.

Both victims only noticed their cards had no points on when they attempted to redeem them against Christmas shopping later that month.

Police believed that at some stage the cards had been swapped and replaced with blank ones.

The points have then been exchanged for gift vouchers or used against goods in the store.

Police are now asking people who use the store in Chippenham and in particular the petrol station to check their Nectar cards to ensure they still have their points.

They have also released CCTV images of a man they are keen to speak to in connection with the incident.

People who believe they may have been a victim of this crime, anyone who has any information or who recognises the man shown in the CCTV, is asked to call Debby Homer at the Local Crime Team in Melksham on 101. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

* On Saturday, following further inquiries, a 21-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman, both from Melksham, were arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation. Both were subsequently released on police bail pending further inquiries.