The number of victims of fraud related to the Inspire card of the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) has almost doubled in the space of a year, and around 92 million points have been stolen, it has learned. The newspaper.
According to an access to information request, 1,807 people were targeted by fraudsters during the 2019-2020 fiscal year, compared to 989 for the previous year. Since the launch of the Inspire card in October 2015, this is the highest number of frauds in a year.
Since in order to obtain a $ 1 rebate, an SAQ customer must accumulate at least 1,000 points on their card, the value of the points stolen in 2019-2020 represents loot of $ 91,963. In 2018-2019, it was $ 51,663. The SAQ says it has refunded all of the points lost due to fraud.
In May 2019, remember that the SAQ opened an investigation after a possible fraud related to the Inspire card.
A client of the Crown corporation using the loyalty program with whom The newspaper had discussed and had even been told by customer service that blocks of card numbers had possibly been stolen.
Fraudsters could modify user information on their account. The SAQ then asserted that its computer system did not appear to be in question. The SQ was aware of this file.
All necessary measures
In its response to access to information, the SAQ underlines that it did not detect any computer flaw in its Inspire card management system in 2019-2020. In addition, management ensures that all necessary measures are taken to secure people’s information.
The SAQ mentions that it is rather the consumers who are often responsible for these incidents, especially when they are victims of phishing.
“The mechanisms for protecting our members’ accounts are strong, but an account may be made vulnerable by fraud from another platform – Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. – which uses the same accesses, such as a password for example, ”replies spokesperson Yann Langlais-Plante.
“Fraudsters, having access to compromised information, have the ability to access all platforms where a person would have used the same information,” he continues.
To explain the increase in the number of thefts, the state-owned company says Inspire cardholders may be more alert today to transactions or transactions in their account.
About 2.1 million people have the Inspire card. The Crown corporation assures that it does not keep any credit data.
Last May, the SAQ was the subject of a computer hacking attempt. This attack did not target the Inspire program, but rather the personal information of employees.
A rise that’s hard to swallow
