Chances are you’ve signed up for a rewards or loyalty program at some point—even if you rarely check your account. These are popular targets for this very reason—loyalty account owners don’t tend to monitor their balances the way they might monitor financial accounts.

Criminals hack into loyalty and rewards accounts through phishing messages, malware-infected sites that collect your data, and stealing username and password combinations. Once inside, they transfer the points or redeem them.

Protect your rewards by protecting your accounts with strong, unique passwords and turn on multi-factor authentication whenever possible. Sign up for account alerts so you’re notified of any changes or suspicious activity. And if something looks off, contact the loyalty program directly through your account or a phone number you know is legitimate.

Learn how to spot and avoid scams with AARP Fraud Watch Network™. Suspect a scam? Call our free helpline at 877-908-3360 and talk to one of our fraud specialists about what to do next.

Need a scam prevention speaker for your group? Send an email to me@aarp.org.