Woolworths was forced to shut down a payment system after some Everyday Rewards members were exploited by fraudsters.
The supermarket giant temporarily removed the Everyday Pay option from its Everyday Rewards app after several customers were affected by a “sophisticated third-party phishing scam.”
Everyday Pay is a payment method within the Everyday Rewards app that allows members to store their debit and credit cards in a wallet and pay using a QR code at checkout.
The feature, which also allows customers to purchase and store gift cards in their wallet, means customers can pay and scan their Everyday Rewards card in a single action, rather than scanning their card and paying separately.
Supermarket giant Woolworths has temporarily removed the Everyday Pay option from its Everyday Rewards app after several customers were affected by a “sophisticated third-party phishing scam”.
But several Everyday Pay users mistakenly revealed their personal information to scammers who were then able to legitimately access their accounts.
Woolworths confirmed on Tuesday that the QR Everyday Pay payment option was now “disabled” for all users while they investigated.
“Unfortunately, we have identified a small number of Everyday Pay users who have been personally targeted by a sophisticated external phishing scam, leading them to provide their details to the scammers,” an Everyday Rewards spokesperson said.
“We support those affected.”
‘We want to reassure our members that our Everyday Pay systems and data remain secure and have not been compromised.
“While temporarily unavailable last week, the Everyday Pay wallet continues to be available for gift cards, which can be purchased, stored and used for in-store and online purchases.”
Several Everyday Pay customers took to social media to complain that the payment system was not working.
Several Everyday Pay customers took to social media to complain that the payment system was not working.
‘What’s happening with your Everyday Pay app?’ asked one X user.
‘Days and days without being able to use the QR reader in the box. #useless’.
The supermarket giant apologized for the inconvenience and revealed it was now working on updating its systems.
“We are now taking this opportunity to review and simplify our payment experience with Everyday Pay in store and, as a result, QR payments may not be available while we work through this process,” a spokesperson added.
It is understood that regular card transactions and Everyday Rewards loyalty card scans are not affected.
Gift cards stored in the Everyday Wallet were temporarily unavailable last week, but can now be accessed in the Everyday Pay wallet.