Loblaw gift cards promised by the company in the wake of an industry-wide bread price-fixing scheme have unexpected strings attached for some customers.
The grocer sent emails to a number of individuals who applied for the $25 voucher, saying they will be denied the card unless they provide more personal information such as a scanned copy of their driver鈥檚 licence or utility bill, within 30 days to verify their address.
The request is not sitting well with some customers whose trust has already been tested by .
Retiree Mary Kendall-Brooks was among those caught off guard by the email.
鈥淚鈥檓 not a criminal. I鈥檓 not trying to defraud anybody. I just thought a $25 Loblaw card would be nice,鈥 she told CTV Atlantic on Monday. 鈥淒river's licence? There鈥檚 no way.鈥
Others, baffled by the request, took to Twitter to ask if it was a scam.
Applied for Loblaws card. Received email requesting copy of my drivers license or utility bill. Is this legit or a phishing scam?
鈥 jyoti parmar (@jdeboran)
is it a scam that Loblaws are requesting scanned copies of driver license online in order to process the gift card registration?
鈥 Juliana Loksang (@Juleszbella)
. : "Sorry, we were sketchy about the bread... Here's $25!"
鈥 Natalia Lopez (@Taliana83)
Me: OK, I guess.
Loblaws *sketchy eyes*: "Send us your personal info in case of... uhhh... fraud"
Me: ....
Loblaws: ....
Me: ....
Loblaws: ...this isn't sketchy, okay.
Loblaw officially opened its registration to claim the $25 gift card in January. with details including their name, date of birth and address. Many who did so have already received their card.
The gift card website said no additional documentation is required to complete the form, but the 鈥渃ontact information鈥 portion states the company may 鈥渞equest more information about your registration form.鈥
In a statement to 麻豆影视, Loblaw said the 鈥渧ast majority鈥 of registrants will not be required to complete this extra step, and promised any information obtained by the company will be used only for validation before being destroyed.
Food Distribution and Policy Professor, and Dean of Dalhousie University鈥檚 Faculty of Management, Sylvain Charlebois, said Loblaw is tarnishing the goodwill initially earned by offering the cards to consumers.
鈥淭he campaign itself is a stroke of brilliance from Loblaw, because the focus, the narrative has been heavily dominated by the $25,鈥 he said. 鈥淎sking specific questions about proof of residency, I think could damage or compromise what Loblaw is trying to achieve here.鈥
Charlebois said he received his $25 Loblaw gift card without any further inquiry after signing up.
Determined to get her gift card, but unwilling to share more information than she is comfortable giving out, Kendall-Brooks came up with her own solution before scanning her licence. She鈥檚 not sure if it will work.
鈥淚 took my driver鈥檚 licence and electrical tape, and I taped out all the parts that I really didn鈥檛 want them to get,鈥 she said.
With a report from CTV Atlantic鈥檚 Heidi Petracek