Windsor resident Harvey Lemire recently discovered that $140 worth of his Petro-Points had vanished without any explanation, prompting him to urge others enrolled in Petro-Canada’s loyalty program, or similar schemes, to verify their point balances.
Lemire, an avid Petro-Points collector, noticed a sudden drop in his point balance late last year. Upon investigating further on the Petro-Canada website, he found that $70 had been redeemed on two occasions at Petro-Canada outlets he was unfamiliar with.
Despite his efforts to resolve the issue with Petro-Canada, as of January 27, Lemire’s points remain unrecovered. He remains optimistic that his recent communication with Suncor, Petro-Canada’s parent company, will result in a resolution.
Harvey Lemire shared his experience to raise awareness, emphasizing the need for caution even with established corporations like Petro-Canada. Jennifer Matthews, CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Western Ontario, highlighted that such incidents are not uncommon and are often linked to cybersecurity breaches.
Matthews recommended practicing good cyber hygiene, such as enabling two-factor authentication, regularly changing passwords, and avoiding suspicious links. She cautioned against accumulating a large number of loyalty points, as it could lead to significant losses in case of a security breach.
Despite his ordeal, Lemire intends to continue collecting Petro-Points, expressing hope for improved systems to address such issues in the future.