Few retailer reward systems are as well-loved as the Ulta Beauty rewards program.
Promising at least one point for every dollar spent with the beauty supply shop, the Ulta Beauty rewards program allows customers to earn back some of what they spend at the store in credit towards a future purchase.
As shoppers spend more over time and rack up points, their redemption value also climbs.
One longtime customer of the beauty retailer says she saved up all of her points over the course of five years, earning over $900 in credit she could redeem at the store.
That is, up until recently. In a video that has drawn over 393,000 views on TikTok, user Lacie (@laciesmith86) says that when her daughter went to Ulta recently, an employee remarked upon just how many points were attached to the phone number that she provided.
"So you want to hear how Ulta employees are stealing over $1,800 worth of points from me?" she says in the video. Lacie later claims that she had $2,400 in points taken from her in total.
"Back in March, my daughter went to Ulta, got some stuff, she always uses my phone number," Lacie explains. "Gave the lady my phone number, and the lady went, 'Oh my God, you have over $900 in points.' My daughter's like, 'Could you shut your mouth? My mom's been saving those for over five years. Don't touch them.'"
Just a few days later, Lacie says all of her hard-won points disappeared from her account. They were used by someone in Holland.
When she contacted customer service, Lacie says the team made it right and restored her points.
However, they were soon stolen again. This time, whoever used her points was based in Arkansas.
To avoid having her points stolen yet again, Lacie says she asked for a hard copy gift card instead of having the value of the points loaded back into her account.
"No can do," a representative of the company allegedly told her.
Lacie says she was also denied an opportunity to speak with a member of the escalation team. Her request to be called back by a member of this team was also declined.
"So here's my shout to TikTokland and all the social medias: If you've got points at Ulta, go spend them," she warns.
"I know that account they have, that little reserve is probably pretty stiff by now. And if the entire followers in all of TikTokland wants to go and drain that account, let Ulta fill it. This is ridiculous. This is how you treat your loyal customers?"
Lacie then clarifies her earlier mistake. "Update, math is not my strong suit, evidently. So they've stolen 900 points three times, that's $2,400. Correction," she claims.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Lacie via TikTok direct message, as well as to Ulta via email regarding the video.
In some cases, as claimed by Lacie and other Ulta Beauty customers, all that is needed to use Ulta Beauty points is to give a phone number at the register when making a purchase.
Per Ulta Beauty's policy, stolen or compromised accounts must be reported to the retailer, and points used fraudulently might not be reimbursed to the rightful account holder.
"Ulta Beauty is not responsible for use of a Member's account or redemption of a Member's points in the event the Member's account is stolen and the account is used or the points are redeemed prior to the Member informing Ulta Beauty that the Member's account has been stolen," the retailer's policy states.
Some viewers, claiming to have experience working for the retailer, shared insight on the situation.
"A manager has to approve over a certain amount of points used, so definitely an inside job!!" one commenter wrote.
"if someone is using the points they can see where the transaction was and the store has cameras call the police and file a theft report," another suggested.
"She changed your name to hers in the system and she took all your points so her manager thought it was her account," a third wrote. "Cause they have to get approval to use points."
@laciesmith86 Count your days ULTA ???? #ulta #FRAUD #bluecollar ♬ original sound - Lacie Smith
Others recommended a few tactics to prevent her account from being compromised. These include changing her account information and only using the app or website to redeem her points.
"I no longer give my phone number I use the app to scan my barcode," a commenter wrote.
"Change your phone number if you can," a second said.
"This happened to me $1200 were stolen from me across the country," another claimed. "Thank god I had proof that I was on the opposite side of the country when they were redeemed. I had see ID put on my account."
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The post ‘I’ve been saving them for 5 years’: Woman catches Ulta worker taking her $2,400 worth of points appeared first on The Daily Dot.
