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on February 09, 2026 Loyalty Data

Loyalty Fraud: Stop Programme Abuse Before It Costs You

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Loyalty programmes drive revenue—until fraudsters turn your rewards into their profit. Loyalty fraud costs businesses over £800 million annually in the UK alone, with account takeovers, fake sign-ups, and points theft threatening customer trust and your bottom line. For marketers, understanding and preventing loyalty programme abuse isn't optional; it's essential for protecting your brand and maintaining the integrity of your customer retention strategy.

This comprehensive guide exposes the tactics fraudsters use to exploit loyalty programmes and provides actionable strategies to detect, prevent, and eliminate programme abuse before it damages your business.

Quick Takeaways

  • Loyalty fraud costs the travel and hospitality industry alone over £800 million annually, with the problem expected to quadruple by 2032
  • Account takeover (ATO) represents 52% of loyalty programme fraud, making it the most common attack vector
  • 72% of loyalty programmes have experienced fraud, yet 42% admit insufficient prevention capabilities
  • 45% of loyalty accounts remain inactive, creating easy targets for fraudsters who exploit dormant points
  • Implementing multi-factor authentication, behavioural analytics, and real-time monitoring can reduce fraud by up to 89%
  • The average consumer belongs to 16.6 loyalty programmes but actively uses fewer than half, leaving billions in points vulnerable
  • Fraudsters target loyalty programmes because points often have weaker security than financial accounts and go unmonitored for months

What Is Loyalty Fraud?

Loyalty fraud occurs when individuals or organised criminal networks exploit reward programmes to illegitimately acquire, manipulate, or redeem points, miles, or other loyalty benefits. Unlike straightforward payment fraud, loyalty programme fraud often operates in the shadows, going undetected for weeks or months whilst fraudsters systematically drain value from customer accounts.

The sophistication of these attacks has evolved dramatically. What started as simple loophole exploitation by opportunistic customers has transformed into organised crime rings using advanced automation, stolen credentials from data breaches, and social engineering tactics to steal rewards worth millions.

For marketers, the stakes extend beyond direct financial losses. When customers discover their hard-earned points stolen, trust evaporates. A 2024 survey revealed that 69% of loyalty executives report fraud negatively impacts brand perception, whilst one in four members would cancel their membership if their account were compromised.

The Scale of the Problem

The loyalty management market reached £9.02 billion in 2023 and is projected to quadruple by 2032. Unfortunately, fraud is growing at a similar pace. According to the London-based fraud prevention company Ravelin's Global Fraud Trends 2024 report, fraud increased for 75.7% of travel-sector merchants in the past year. The Loyalty Security Association estimates that £2.47 billion in redeemed loyalty points are fraudulent annually in the United States alone—and UK figures follow similar patterns.

Consider these sobering statistics:

  • 31% of all fraud attempts against online merchants target loyalty programmes
  • Over £159 billion in loyalty points sit unredeemed globally, creating a massive attack surface
  • 83% of organisations faced at least one account takeover in the past year
  • In 2022 alone, loyalty fraud surged by 30%, impacting over 75 airlines and involving 2,000 malicious resources across the EU, UK, and US

Why Fraudsters Target Loyalty Programmes

Understanding why loyalty programmes attract criminals helps marketers build more effective defences. Three key factors make reward programmes irresistible to fraudsters:

1. Points Are as Good as Cash

Loyalty points function as a parallel currency with real monetary value. Fraudsters easily convert stolen points into merchandise, travel bookings, gift cards, or cash through dark web marketplaces. Unlike stolen credit cards that trigger immediate alerts, loyalty points can be quietly liquidated with minimal risk.

Some programmes even facilitate fraud by allowing point transfers between accounts—a feature designed for convenience that criminals exploit to move stolen rewards into clean accounts before redemption.

2. Delayed Detection Creates Opportunity

The average leisure traveller checks their airline loyalty account once or twice annually. Retail programme members rarely monitor their points balance with the same vigilance they apply to bank accounts. This inattention creates a detection gap that fraudsters exploit ruthlessly.

By the time customers notice missing points, fraudsters have long since cashed out and moved on. The delayed discovery also complicates investigation and recovery efforts, leaving brands to absorb losses and manage customer dissatisfaction.

3. Weaker Security Than Financial Accounts

Despite holding real monetary value, loyalty programmes historically receive less security investment than payment systems. Many programmes still rely on simple username-password authentication without multi-factor requirements. Account activity monitoring is often minimal or non-existent, and suspicious redemption patterns may not trigger alerts.

This security gap exists because businesses view loyalty programmes primarily as marketing tools rather than financial assets requiring robust protection. Fraudsters recognise this vulnerability and exploit it systematically.

Types of Loyalty Fraud Every Marketer Should Know

Loyalty fraud manifests in multiple forms, each targeting different vulnerabilities in your programme's ecosystem. Understanding these attack patterns enables you to implement appropriate countermeasures.

Account Takeover (ATO) Fraud

Account takeover represents the most prevalent and damaging form of loyalty fraud, accounting for over 52% of all loyalty programme fraud incidents. In an ATO attack, criminals gain unauthorised access to legitimate customer accounts and exploit the accumulated rewards.

How ATO Attacks Work

Fraudsters employ several tactics to compromise accounts:

Credential Stuffing: Automated tools test millions of username-password combinations stolen from data breaches against loyalty programme login pages. Because consumers reuse passwords across multiple accounts, these attacks succeed at an alarming rate—even a 0.1-2% success rate translates to thousands of compromised accounts when scaled across millions of attempts.

Phishing Campaigns: Fake emails or websites mimicking legitimate loyalty programmes trick customers into surrendering their login credentials. In October 2024, the UK's City of London Police and Action Fraud issued a warning after receiving over 900 reports in two weeks about fake Starbucks emails offering a "Coffee Lovers Box" reward. These sophisticated scams often include urgent messages about expiring points or exclusive offers that create pressure to act quickly.

Social Engineering: Attackers manipulate customer service representatives into resetting passwords or transferring points by impersonating legitimate account holders. They leverage publicly available information and leaked personal data to appear authentic.

Once inside an account, fraudsters work quickly. They redeem points for high-value rewards, transfer balances to other accounts, or change account details to prevent the legitimate owner from regaining access. In some cases, they sell the compromised account on dark web marketplaces where organised fraud rings purchase them in bulk.

New Account Fraud and Fake Sign-Ups

Fraudsters create multiple fake accounts to exploit welcome bonuses, referral programmes, and promotional offers. This new account fraud involves using stolen, synthetic, or fabricated identities to circumvent programme rules limiting benefits to one account per person.

A notable 2024 UK case illustrates this perfectly: a restaurant manager in Chester was convicted of defrauding his establishment for £21,000. The restaurant had an introductory offer giving customers £20 off their next visit, which the manager exploited by creating fake email addresses and loyalty profiles.

The mechanics are disturbingly simple:

  • Bots generate thousands of fake email addresses
  • Automated scripts complete registration forms with stolen or synthetic identity information
  • Each fake account claims welcome bonuses, often worth £8-40 in rewards
  • Fraudsters combine points from multiple accounts for valuable redemptions

For referral programmes, the problem intensifies. A single fraudster can create dozens of "new customer" accounts that appear to be referred by their other fake accounts, claiming referral bonuses repeatedly. Without proper detection mechanisms, businesses unknowingly subsidise this fraud through their own promotional budgets.

Points Hacking and Manipulation

Some fraudsters exploit technical vulnerabilities or programme logic flaws to artificially inflate their points balance. Points hacking involves:

  • Exploiting software bugs that allow duplicate point credits for single transactions
  • Manipulating API endpoints to generate unauthorised points
  • Abusing business rules that weren't designed to prevent sophisticated exploitation
  • Using bots to fake qualifying activities that earn rewards

Unlike ATO attacks that steal existing points, manipulation fraud creates points from nothing—directly inflating programme liabilities and potentially destabilising the entire rewards economy.

Internal Fraud by Employees

Don't overlook threats from within. Internal fraud accounts for over half the total value of fraud incidents and costs businesses over £800 million annually. Employees with backend access to loyalty systems can:

  • Scan their personal loyalty cards instead of customers' cards, fraudulently accumulating points
  • Manually adjust point balances in their own or accomplices' accounts
  • Transfer points from dormant accounts to active ones under their control
  • Generate and redeem unauthorised promotional codes

Internal fraudsters understand security protocols intimately and know how to avoid triggering detection systems. They often start small—checking point balances or making minor adjustments—then escalate when initial attempts go unnoticed.

Gift Card Fraud

This hybrid attack bridges payment fraud and loyalty fraud. Criminals purchase gift cards using stolen credit cards, convert those gift cards into loyalty points, then transfer the points to clean accounts where they can redeem them safely. This laundering process creates distance between the original fraud and the final benefit, making detection and prosecution more difficult.

Policy Abuse and Programme Exploitation

Not all fraud involves stolen credentials or technical hacking. Some customers deliberately exploit programme loopholes to gain unauthorised benefits:

  • Double-dipping: Claiming points for purchases they didn't make by using others' transactions
  • Return fraud: Making purchases solely to earn points, then returning items but keeping the rewards
  • Promotional code abuse: Sharing single-use codes across multiple accounts or violating distribution restrictions
  • Rebooking schemes: Booking and cancelling services repeatedly to accumulate bonus points without actual consumption

Whilst individual instances may seem minor, at scale this abuse significantly impacts programme economics and disadvantages honest participants.

Industries Most Vulnerable to Loyalty Fraud

Whilst no sector with a loyalty programme is immune, certain industries face disproportionate risk:

Travel and Hospitality

Airlines and hotels were loyalty programme pioneers—and remain prime targets. According to Europol, the travel industry loses approximately £800 million annually to loyalty fraud. Ravelin's 2024 report confirms fraud increased for 75.7% of travel-sector merchants in the past year.

Why travel programmes are vulnerable:

  • Airline miles and hotel points carry exceptionally high perceived value
  • Redemptions often involve high-ticket items (free flights, luxury hotel stays)
  • Account monitoring by customers is infrequent
  • 45% of travel loyalty accounts remain inactive, creating easy targets
  • Points can be easily transferred, sold, or combined with other accounts

One sophisticated airline fraud scheme illustrates the creativity involved: fraudsters book refundable tickets using stolen credit cards on file, purchase non-refundable add-ons (seat upgrades, checked bags) with loyalty points, then cancel the ticket for a refund whilst keeping the points already spent on add-ons.

Retail and E-Commerce

Online retail loyalty programmes face mounting pressure as fraud techniques evolve. With 68% of consumers citing loyalty programmes as important in purchasing decisions, retailers can't afford to eliminate programmes—but they also can't ignore the rising fraud threat.

E-commerce loyalty fraud often involves:

  • Mass account creation by bots exploiting sign-up bonuses
  • Referral fraud where single individuals create networks of fake accounts
  • Return abuse combined with loyalty point accumulation
  • Promotional code exploitation at scale

In the UK, supermarket Morrisons customers reported widespread loyalty point theft, with points disappearing from their accounts. Morrisons attributed the problem to email and password reuse across multiple accounts—highlighting the vulnerability even major retailers face.

Financial Services

Banks and credit card companies offering rewards programmes present especially lucrative targets because their rewards often have direct cash value. Cashback programmes, in particular, attract fraudsters who can monetise stolen rewards immediately without conversion.

Financial loyalty fraud frequently pairs with other financial crimes, as compromised accounts may contain both loyalty rewards and access to banking services, payment information, or investment accounts.

QSR and Retail Dining

Quick-service restaurants and coffee shop chains run popular loyalty programmes where small, frequent purchases accumulate points. These programmes often prioritise frictionless customer experience over security, creating vulnerabilities that fraudsters exploit through:

  • Employees scanning personal loyalty cards on customer transactions
  • Mass creation of accounts to claim "first purchase" bonuses
  • Exploitation of time-limited promotions through bot networks

Warning Signs: Detecting Loyalty Fraud Early

Early detection dramatically reduces fraud impact. Marketers should implement monitoring systems that flag these suspicious patterns:

Account-Level Indicators

  • Unusual login patterns: Access from multiple geographic locations within impossible timeframes (e.g., London and Singapore minutes apart)
  • Sudden password changes: Especially when followed immediately by large redemptions
  • Email or contact information modifications: Fraudsters change account details to lock out legitimate owners
  • Dormant account reactivation: Accounts inactive for months suddenly logging in and redeeming all points
  • Failed login attempts: Repeated authentication failures suggesting credential stuffing attacks

Transaction-Level Red Flags

  • Velocity anomalies: Unusually high point redemption rates within short periods
  • High-value redemptions: Immediate conversion of all available points to maximum-value rewards
  • Unusual redemption patterns: Behaviour inconsistent with the account's historical activity
  • Point transfers: Especially multiple transfers to new or suspicious accounts
  • Geographic inconsistencies: Redemptions occurring in locations the customer has never visited

Programme-Level Signals

  • Spikes in new account creation: Sudden registration surges, particularly from similar IP addresses or device fingerprints
  • Promotional code abuse: Single codes used across far more accounts than statistically probable
  • Referral programme anomalies: Disproportionate referrals from single accounts or suspicious referral chains
  • Customer service complaints: Increased reports of unauthorised account access or missing points

Implementing behavioural analytics and machine learning models helps identify these patterns automatically, enabling real-time intervention before fraud escalates.

Comprehensive Loyalty Fraud Prevention Strategies

Preventing loyalty fraud requires a multi-layered approach addressing every stage of the customer journey. Here are proven strategies marketers can implement:

1. Strengthen Authentication at Login

Your login endpoint is the first line of defence. Implement these measures:

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Require at least two forms of verification—something the user knows (password), has (mobile device for SMS codes), or is (biometric data). Whilst not foolproof, MFA dramatically increases the difficulty of account takeover.

Passkeys and Biometric Authentication: Move beyond traditional passwords towards phishing-resistant credentials like fingerprint or facial recognition. These methods are substantially harder to compromise than password-based systems.

Adaptive Authentication: Implement risk-based authentication that adjusts security requirements based on contextual signals. Low-risk logins (recognised device, typical location, normal time) proceed smoothly, whilst suspicious attempts face additional challenges.

CAPTCHA and Bot Detection: Deploy intelligent CAPTCHA challenges that distinguish human users from automated credential stuffing tools. Modern solutions use behavioural analysis to identify bot traffic without creating friction for legitimate customers.

2. Secure the Registration Process

Prevent fake accounts before they're created:

Email Verification: Require double opt-in with confirmation links that validate email addresses. This simple step filters out disposable email addresses and bot-generated accounts.

Block Email Aliases: Prevent fraudsters from using tactics like "user+1@domain.com" to create multiple accounts from a single email address. Enforce unique email requirements that recognise variations as duplicates.

Identity Verification: For high-value programmes, implement phone number verification via SMS or voice calls. Consider age and activity analysis of email addresses—newly created emails or those from disposable domains should trigger additional scrutiny.

Device Fingerprinting: Track device characteristics and flag accounts created from the same device or suspicious device profiles associated with fraud.

3. Implement Behavioural Monitoring and Analytics

Continuous monitoring detects anomalies that indicate fraud:

Transaction Pattern Analysis: Establish baseline behaviour for individual accounts (typical redemption amounts, frequency, preferred rewards). Flag deviations that suggest account compromise.

Velocity Checks: Set thresholds for point accumulation and redemption rates. Accounts exceeding normal activity levels within 24-hour windows trigger automatic review.

Geolocation Monitoring: Track IP addresses and redemption locations. Impossible travel (accessing the account from distant locations within minutes) indicates credential sharing or account takeover.

Machine Learning Models: Deploy AI systems that analyse vast datasets to identify both known fraud patterns and emerging threats. These systems detect subtle anomalies invisible to rule-based approaches whilst minimising false positives that frustrate legitimate customers.

4. Design Fraud-Resistant Programme Rules

Programme structure significantly impacts vulnerability:

Redemption Delays: Build waiting periods between earning and redeeming points, especially for new accounts. This creates a detection window before fraudsters can cash out.

Point Expiration Policies: Implement reasonable expiration periods that force regular account activity. Dormant accounts with expiring points become less attractive targets.

Redemption Limits: Cap the number or value of redemptions within specific timeframes. This prevents fraudsters from instantly draining large point balances.

Transfer Restrictions: If your programme allows point transfers, implement verification requirements, transfer limits, and cooling-off periods. Consider disabling transfers entirely if fraud risk outweighs customer benefit.

Tiered Access: Restrict high-value redemptions to accounts with established history and verified identities. New or suspicious accounts face limited redemption options until they build trust.

5. Educate and Empower Customers

Customer awareness is a powerful fraud deterrent:

Security Communications: Regularly remind members that loyalty accounts hold real monetary value and deserve protection similar to financial accounts. Provide specific guidance on creating strong passwords, enabling MFA, and recognising phishing attempts.

Activity Notifications: Send alerts when significant account changes occur—password resets, email modifications, large redemptions. This enables customers to detect and report unauthorised access quickly.

Account Dashboards: Provide clear visibility into recent account activity, login history, and redemption details. Transparent access helps members identify suspicious behaviour.

Reporting Mechanisms: Make it easy for customers to report suspected fraud. Quick reporting enables faster response and limits damage.

6. Manage Inactive Accounts Proactively

The 45% of loyalty accounts sitting dormant represent your highest fraud risk:

Periodic Outreach: Contact inactive members regularly to remind them of their account status and accumulated points. This encourages engagement whilst signalling that accounts are monitored.

Enhanced Verification for Dormant Accounts: Require additional authentication when long-inactive accounts suddenly log in. This simple step prevents fraudsters from exploiting forgotten accounts.

Account Purging Policies: Consider archiving or deleting accounts inactive beyond a certain period, with advance notice to members. This reduces your attack surface substantially.

7. Deploy Specialised Fraud Detection Technology

Modern fraud prevention platforms offer capabilities purpose-built for loyalty programmes:

Real-Time Risk Scoring: Systems like DataDome, Kount, and Signifyd analyse each interaction—registration, login, point accrual, redemption—and assign risk scores based on hundreds of signals. High-risk actions are automatically blocked or challenged.

Network Intelligence: Leverage shared fraud data across platforms to identify known bad actors, compromised credentials, and suspicious devices before they target your programme.

API Security: Protect application programming interfaces from abuse by monitoring for unusual patterns, implementing rate limiting, and validating all requests.

Automated Response: Configure systems to take immediate action when fraud is detected—freezing accounts, requiring verification, blocking redemptions—without manual intervention.

8. Monitor Employee Access and Activities

Prevent internal fraud through oversight:

Access Controls: Implement role-based permissions ensuring employees can only access features necessary for their jobs. Separate duties so no single person controls all aspects of the loyalty system.

Audit Trails: Maintain detailed logs of all backend activities—point adjustments, account modifications, transfers. Regular review identifies suspicious patterns.

Anomaly Detection: Monitor employee accounts for unusual loyalty card usage rates that might indicate scanning personal cards on customer transactions.

Compliance Training: Educate staff about fraud policies, ethical obligations, and consequences. Make clear that loyalty point theft is not a "victimless crime" but actual theft.

9. Conduct Regular Security Assessments

Loyalty fraud prevention is not a one-time implementation:

Vulnerability Testing: Regularly assess programme design, technical architecture, and business rules for exploitable weaknesses. Think like a fraudster to identify and close gaps.

Penetration Testing: Engage security professionals to attempt realistic attacks against your systems, revealing vulnerabilities before criminals discover them.

Rules Review: Periodically examine programme policies for unintended loopholes. Update terms and conditions to address new fraud tactics.

Fraud Trend Analysis: Study fraud patterns affecting your programme and the broader industry. Adapt defences proactively rather than reactively.

Real-World Examples of Loyalty Fraud

Understanding how fraud manifests in practice provides valuable lessons:

Marriott International Data Breaches (2014-2020)

Marriott suffered three major data breaches affecting 344 million customers worldwide. Stolen data included names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, passport numbers, and loyalty programme information. Fraudsters used this treasure trove to conduct widespread account takeovers and identity theft.

In a 2024 settlement, Marriott agreed to enhance data security practices and provide customers with mechanisms to remove personal data tied to their email accounts. The incident demonstrated how loyalty programme data breaches extend beyond point theft to comprehensive identity compromise.

Lessons for marketers:

  • Loyalty data requires the same protection as payment data
  • Data breaches have long-term consequences extending years beyond the initial incident
  • Customer trust, once broken, is extremely difficult to rebuild
  • Regulatory scrutiny and legal liability follow major breaches

UK Supermarket Loyalty Point Theft

Morrisons customers across the UK reported widespread loyalty point theft, with numerous accounts compromised simultaneously. The supermarket insisted the problem occurred as a result of email and password reuse across multiple accounts—highlighting how credential stuffing attacks exploit consumer password habits.

This incident demonstrates that even major UK retailers with established programmes face significant fraud challenges, and that customer password hygiene plays a critical role in account security.

Chester Restaurant Manager Fraud

In 2024, the manager of a small UK restaurant in Chester was convicted of defrauding his restaurant for £21,000. The establishment had an introductory offer giving customers £20 off their next visit. The manager exploited this by creating fake email addresses and loyalty profiles, claiming the discount repeatedly.

This case proves that loyalty fraud affects businesses of all sizes—not just multinational corporations. Even small independent restaurants must implement robust prevention measures.

Starbucks Phishing Campaign

In October 2024, the UK's City of London Police and Action Fraud issued warnings after receiving over 900 reports in just two weeks about fake Starbucks emails. The phishing messages claimed recipients had won a "Coffee Lovers Box" reward, prompting them to click malicious links disguised as Starbucks promotions.

These emails were designed to steal personal and financial information or install malware, targeting not only consumers' devices but also their Starbucks Rewards accounts. Victims who clicked the fraudulent link risked handing over sensitive login credentials or downloading malicious code.

Airline Miles Theft Epidemic

In 2022, loyalty fraud surged by 30%, impacting over 75 airlines across the EU, UK, and US, involving 2,000 malicious resources according to Group-IB research. One common scheme illustrates the sophistication involved:

  1. Fraudster gains access to an airline loyalty account through credential stuffing
  2. Books a refundable ticket using the account holder's credit card on file
  3. Purchases non-refundable add-ons (seat upgrades, extra baggage, lounge access) using loyalty miles
  4. Cancels the ticket and receives a refund to the credit card
  5. Keeps the value of the miles already spent on add-ons

This scheme converts loyalty points into cash whilst creating layers of complexity that obscure the fraud and delay detection.

The Future of Loyalty Fraud Prevention

The loyalty fraud landscape continues evolving as both fraudsters and defenders adopt new technologies:

AI-Powered Defence Systems

Advanced machine learning models increasingly power fraud detection, offering capabilities that surpass traditional rule-based systems:

  • Pattern Recognition: AI identifies complex fraud patterns invisible to human analysts by analysing millions of data points simultaneously
  • Predictive Analytics: Systems forecast emerging fraud trends based on subtle behavioural shifts
  • Adaptive Learning: Models continuously improve by learning from new fraud attempts and false positives
  • Reduced Friction: Sophisticated AI accurately distinguishes legitimate customers from fraudsters, minimising security measures that harm user experience

Cross-Industry Collaboration

Fraudsters don't operate in silos—they attack multiple programmes simultaneously. Industry response is becoming similarly coordinated:

  • Shared intelligence networks where businesses exchange fraud data and known bad actor information
  • Industry consortia developing fraud prevention standards and best practices
  • Regulatory frameworks requiring minimum security standards for loyalty programmes
  • Collaborative investigations targeting organised fraud rings

81% of industry leaders now consider cross-sector collaboration essential to fighting fraud effectively.

Blockchain and Decentralised Loyalty

Some organisations experiment with blockchain technology for loyalty programmes, offering potential benefits:

  • Immutable transaction records that prevent point manipulation
  • Transparent point creation and redemption visible to all participants
  • Decentralised verification reducing reliance on vulnerable centralised systems
  • Enhanced security through cryptographic protection

However, blockchain adoption remains limited due to technical complexity, cost, and user experience challenges.

Biometric Authentication Standard

As biometric technology becomes ubiquitous on mobile devices, loyalty programmes increasingly adopt fingerprint, facial recognition, and voice authentication as standard security measures. These phishing-resistant credentials dramatically reduce account takeover risk whilst providing frictionless user experiences.

Take Action Against Loyalty Fraud Today

Loyalty fraud represents an escalating threat that demands immediate attention from marketing teams. The statistics are clear: 72% of loyalty programmes experience fraud, yet 42% lack adequate prevention capabilities. This gap creates risk not just for today but for the long-term viability of your customer retention strategy.

Your next steps:

  1. Audit your current programme: Assess vulnerabilities in authentication, registration, redemption processes, and monitoring capabilities
  2. Implement foundational security: Enable multi-factor authentication, email verification, and basic velocity checks immediately
  3. Deploy advanced monitoring: Invest in behavioural analytics and machine learning fraud detection suited to your programme's scale
  4. Educate your customers: Launch communication campaigns raising awareness about account security and fraud risks
  5. Establish response protocols: Create clear procedures for investigating suspected fraud and supporting affected customers
  6. Monitor continuously: Fraud prevention isn't a one-time project but an ongoing commitment requiring regular assessment and adaptation

The loyalty programmes that thrive in coming years will be those that successfully balance security with customer experience—protecting members from fraud whilst maintaining the frictionless engagement that makes rewards programmes valuable.

Don't wait for fraud to strike before taking action. The tools, technologies, and strategies exist to protect your programme today. Your customers trust you with their loyalty and their personal information. Honour that trust by implementing the robust fraud prevention measures their loyalty deserves.