British Airways suspended my Nectar account, they’re not telling me why and I’ve lost out on £160

I had a number of Avios points on my British Airways Executive Club account and in October 2023 decided to convert these to Nectar points to buy a nice Christmas gift from Argos for my 6 year old daughter.

However, a few days later I received an email from BA telling me they had suspended my account due to some “unusual activity” and that they would be in touch explaining everything within 2 weeks. They also instructed Nectar to suspend my account which I no longer have access to.

I’ve waited a significant period of time and multiple phone calls to their customer service department have got me nowhere. They just keep promising to get back to me.

Is there anything I can do about this? Both my BA account and Nectar account are suspended. I’ve not only lost out on converted Avios points but also years worth of Nectar points I had accumulated. The total is around £160 in points which I had planned to use at Argos.

in UKPersonalFinanceby green-lamp123

171

92%

4mo

thecleaner78

213

4mo

Use the “email ceo” approach. Google the BA ceo, can’t remember off the top of my head and lay down the pure facts

How do you know ba instructed nectar to suspend the account?

green-lamp123

4mo

I rang Nectar directly who told me. They weren’t able to unlock the account without specific instruction from BA

BaitmasterG

4mo

On what grounds are BA authorised to act on your Nectar account? I'd be using GDPR to understand what BA have said to Nectar and for reason Nectar think they answer to BA and not you

And then I'd consider the ICO

huckinfell2019

4mo

That's not how GDPR works.

BaitmasterG

4mo

So I can't use a Subject Access Request to ask for copies of everything that Nectar hold about me?

huckinfell2019

4mo

Sure but how would that answer the question you ask above?

BaitmasterG

4mo

It might give some insight into why one of my account providers thinks they can discuss my personal circumstances with a completely separate account provider and not me

Gareth79

4mo

I'm almost certain that in the Nectar terms and conditions you give permission for Nectar member companies to transfer your personal data and operational data between each other. A fraud suspicion resulting in a request to freeze points would be completely permitted. Obviously they shouldn't ghost the customer and should swiftly confirm the transfer was authorised.

Edit: for BA, it's right there at the very top of the terms https://exchange.shopping.ba.com/partner/nectar/privacy

EndiePosts

4mo

When you sign up for a Nectar card the T&Cs very explicitly state that you grant permission for Nectar to pass required data to partner companies and for those companies to perform processing based on that data, which may include data to be used for fraud detection and prevention purposes.

billy_tables

4mo

If you tell BA to convert your points to nectar points, of course they have to talk to Nectar. And if they have to do so for bona fide customers, they are entitled to when they suspect fraud too (even incorrectly)

Curiouser666

4mo

Here is a link to find the email address for the BA CEO:

https://www.ceoemail.com?q=british+airways

And for Nectar:

https://www.ceoemail.com?q=nectar

Hope that helps!

Captaincadet

4mo

Ah the nuclear option…

But you will get a response this way

[deleted]

4mo

Does this actually work? Won't he have better things to do?

Captaincadet

4mo

Yes it does actually work. While he won’t likely to deal with it himself, his office will ask the department and usually that “prod” is enough to get people bending over backwards to please him

TouristNo865

4mo

Bloody love the comments on this. Never knew there was websites dedicated to tracking down CEO emails! That's mint!

Good luck getting this sorted!

Curiouser666

4mo

Yep, here's some info about how it works:

https://www.ceoemail.com/ceoemail-faq.php

TouristNo865

4mo

Thank you so much!

sydney9676

4mo

https://ceoemail.com/s.php?id=ceo-9664&c=British%20Airways-CEO

Piggystriker3

4mo

Go with emailing whoever is in charge of British Airways Executive program is, there is bound to be a CEO or Managing Director. Once you’ve emailed them with rhe facts it’ll get passed onto an executive complaints team who will look into getting everything sorted for you.

Have had similar shitty customer service from Barclaycard who were unable to solve my problem for 4-5 months, as soon as I emailed their CEO I had the problem solved in a week or two.

xNeweyesx

4mo

Keeping money in points is always a bit risky. They can change the value/ts and cs at any time they want.

Well over a decade ago my Mum saved up points to buy champagne etc. for a milestone birthday party and when she came to spend them they had halved the value. Ever since, basically as soon as I can spend loyalty points I do.

I hope you manage to get it resolved.

littletorreira

4mo

Me too. on nectar I just get a fiver off my shop first opportunity I get.

Non_sum_qualis_eram

4mo

We had a similar thing. They put the account 'under audit' or something similar for to using it for the first time in a while. We had to email what looked like a dodgy email address given to us by customer services with a passport photo, and then the next day it was unlocked. We also rang and they said the same thing and checked the email address.

It meant we maxed out our monthly allowance for avios to nectar conversions, and subsequently the boxing day sales. Customer service was dire.

BrewInProgress

4mo

BA are absolutely useless in their complaints department. I had a good chunk of Avios points saved up on my Barclaycard and they wouldn’t link two accounts together.

Both of them claimed it’s fine on their end, raised a complaint with BA as well as SAR (that they never complied). BA won’t give an update on the case as when I ask for one, they ask for a flight number and then don’t come back.

I have given up now, and won’t fly with BA.

TheGoldenDog

4mo

Is it just me, or do other people read a detail like "to buy a nice Christmas gift from Argos for my 6 year old daughter" and immediately assume there's something suspicious going on that OP is deliberately choosing to omit details of?

dirtyrampage

4mo

Just you i think

TerranceTurtle

4mo

I mean that's probably what BA think hence the lock

User deleted comment

4mo

HubbyWifey8389

-40

4mo

They suspect you of money laundering and legally aren't allowed to discuss it with you.

silverfish477

4mo

How do you do money laundering with a nectar card?

dan_dares

4mo

Lots of bees

Mr94

4mo

Honey laundering

HubbyWifey8389

4mo

https://www.headforpoints.com/2021/02/06/avios-nectar-transfer-security/

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/hackers-go-shopping-for-avios-air-miles-wjt5j7t9t#:~:text=Frequent%20flyers%20have%20uncovered%20a,his%20Avios%20account%20this%20month.

Avios accounts get hacked and the balance is then transferred onto a random nectar card as cash.

The cash is then "criminal property" and acquisition, use or possession of said criminal property in this regard is a money laundering offence in the UK.

Acquisition, Use and Possession Under section 329 (of POCA) a person commits an offence if he:

acquires criminal property; uses criminal property; or has possession of criminal property.

Could also be a Section 328 offenceunder POCA, namely "arrangements" :

Section 328 states that “a person commits an offence if he enters into or becomes concerned in an arrangement which he knows or suspects facilitates (by whatever means) the acquisition, retention, use or control of criminal property by or on behalf of another person.”

So whether you like it or not, this is what they think has happened.

Slightly different but a similar theme

https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/avios-points-stolen-airmiles-cyber-crime-account-russian-luxury-holidays-fraud-flashpoint-research-a8068126.html

hideyourarms

4mo

I suppose if I had stolen credit card details (and perhaps had access to someone else’s BA and nectar accounts) I could try and buy Avios points with them, then convert them to Nectar points, then use that to just buy goods which could be resold.

This doesn’t fit with OPs scenario, but it’s a convoluted way to launder money.

PontyPonty

4mo

This isn't money, and whatever's going on has nothing to do with AML.

This is BA suspecting something going on that's against their own T&Cs.

Entirely within their gift to discuss the matter (or not...) with their customer.

HubbyWifey8389

4mo

As per the proceeds of crime act, money laundering doesn't just involve money. It merely requires "criminal property" to be involved and this can include all forms of property and other intangible or incorporeal property.

If it only involved "money" then individuals wishing to launder criminal property would simply buy other items with it and be untouchable.

There is a well known scam / fraud whereby individuals hack avios accounts and transfer the avios points to random nectar cards as cash.

Once they've done this, the resulting cash on the nectar card would become criminal property.

Any acquisition, use or possession of this cash thereafter would be a money laundering offence under section 329 of POCA:

A person commits an offence if he:

acquires criminal property; uses criminal property; or has possession of criminal property.

Rightly or wrongly, this is what they think has happened so they've shut both accounts.

[deleted]

4mo

They aren't a bank and he's talking about a nectar card.

Jubilee1989

4mo

Same thing. Same legislation anyway.

Points to spend transformed into something else has been used historically as a way to launder money. Same reason you get store credit or refunds back to the same card that bought stuff rather than the ability to put it into any of your bank accounts.

HubbyWifey8389

4mo

At least one other person knows what they're talking about here. The lack of knowledge about money laundering is astounding. People who say we're wrong and they literally don't know what money laundering is. If you're going to say someone is wrong, don't use "it's not a bank" or "it isn't money" as your argument.

[deleted]

4mo

So, I'm genuinely interested. As it cannot be used in exchange for currency (physical, virtual or other such as stocks or bonds) or financial services, only in exchange for goods and non financial services, how do nectar cards fall under money laundering regulations or proceeds of crime act?

I could maybe see an angle from earning points from stolen payment cards under poca as I'm fairly sure Tesco had that issue at one point with clubcard points, but the onus there is on the store taking payments and the payment provider.

[deleted]

4mo

You can't get cash or gift cards with nectar points. At least not anymore, I believe. If they were purchasing gift cards with another method and using it to gain nectar points, it may make sense that it would trigger alarm bells as that's a reasonably common thing done with stolen credit cards (e.g. use stolen credit card to buy 500 in gift cards, even if gift cards are cancelled you still get the nectar points)

[deleted]

4mo

No, as others have said, it's a nectar card and it isn't a bank. Realistically, it's the same when most companies cancel your services in anyway, there's simply nothing for them to gain by telling you. Game thoery it out and you see that the best choice of action for them is to give you no reasoning.

Jubilee1989

4mo

The Proceeds of Crime Act and similar money laundering legislation does not only apply to banks.

Gambling companies, betting shops, solicitors, accountants, payment providers, money exchanges, cheque cashing shops, crypto exchanges, all have obligations under the act and wider AML legislation.

There are even provisions which impact high value dealers like car sales and jewellers.

The focus is not on banking, but on procceds of crime which is something with a transferrable value.

[deleted]

4mo

Nectar points are not money my guy. Nor are they transferable. I work for Sainsbury's, there's 0 money laundering guidelines for Nectar points. You're wrong mate, accept it.

setokaiba22

4mo

Launch a complaint with Sainsbury’s directly? They run Nectar and contacting Nectar is utterly a useless and frustrating experience.

I’ve transferred large Avois amounts to Nectar a few times and never had an issue, can’t see what you’ve triggered here but I don’t see how Avios can tell Nectar what to do

Low_Flounder7304

4mo

When was the most recent time you converted avios to nectar? Did it take 10 days or was it instant?

novelfox

4mo

I recently had my BA Exec Club account hacked and Avios points converted to Nectar ( I don’t have a Nectar account). There are separate customer service numbers depending on your club level, I was able to speak to someone and they investigated and recovered my points in a week or two. Worth trying the number for your club level.

Low_Flounder7304

4mo

Something like this happened to me recently. Would I lose the points if the culprits actually spend the points.

20 missing replies