Yes there is a syndicate that is going around and hijacking your drug store rewards points. They have a coordinated system where agents around the globe engage in point fraud and channel these points through underground systems and compile them into a single account.

You can imagine how lucrative this must be. Just the other day they managed to get a free bottle of Cerave gentle facial cleanser.

Anyone within earshot when you give your number to a clerk can use it for discounts. (Or anyone who knows Jenny's number.)

It's unlikely the backend system can tie one number to more than one email/login credentials so while you'll get copies of their receipts, they won't get copies of yours. If you really want to make sure the connection is broken, get a google voice or other temp number and use that for store loyalty cards.

When couponing was worthwhile, many people opened multiple accounts in various stores. Most drug stores had a one per person limit. This is probably how your telephone number was used. Most people just made up numbers or used old numbers that they had had at one time.

So you are getting free points?

Dunno which drug store you use but cvs and Walgreens happily just accept my phone number.

The security risk is that this other person can redeem your points as neither drugstore chain has any authentication. This problem has been around for at least a decade and it’s clear neither drugstore cares. And grocery stores operate the same way and they don’t care.

Long time ago...back in 1990: we moved across the county to shorten wife's commute. We didn't drag our phone number with us -- the phone company wanted a lot of money for that privilege back then. They gave us a very nice phone number. I think it was 965-0333. Or something like that.

Well, we started getting calls for Budget Rent-a-Car. You see, they used to have a suburban branch near us, but it closed 6 months before, and when we applied for a phone line, the phone company recycled that number to us.

We were technologically savvy -- we had an actual answering machine. With tiny cassette tapes. We changed the message to state "this is not Budget Rent-a-Car. This is a private residence. Please leave a message for 965-0333." Even with that message, one day I came home from work to a message (old-lady voice): "Hello? I'd like to rent a car?"

My point is it is very likely that you are the "illicit" user -- that the person who's drug store account you've stolen legitimately had what's now your phone number back when they set up the account. I'm not aware of anything mandating that they change their drug store rewards account just because they've given up a phone number.

If you've only had your phone number for 3 years, it is entirely possible that someone else had an account at your drugstore chain using that phone number previously, or that someone goofed and entered an incorrect number, or that someone used a random phone number.

In any event, just don't save a payment method on the account and you will be fine. And you are racking up those extra points! Perhaps by 2025 you will have accumulated enough points to get a free candy bar!

>This person is using BOTH my phone number AND email address. That’s what bothers me.

It's highly unlikely they're "using" your email address. Did you create an online profile based on the loyalty number?

Life pro tip: If you want a discount at any store and you have not set up an account, you can use XXX-867-5309. Use the proper area code for the location of your store.

867-5309 is from the Tommy Tutone song. I have used this method all over the USA and there seems to be an account with XXX area code and 867-5309 has worked 99/100 times.