Nectar member? You can now 'lock' your points to better protect them from theft – here's how

How to use Nectar's new 'Spend Lock'

Our quick demo below shows you how to enable the feature. You'll need to login to the latest version of the Nectar app – if you don't currently have it (or need to update it) you can download it for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store:

Here's what else you need to know:

• You can unlock your points at any time. When your points are locked, your points balance will show as zero at the checkout in store and online. To use them, you'll need to unlock them through the app first – this should be instant, but may take longer to show if you do it in a busy store.

• Only the 'primary' Nectar card holder will be able to lock and unlock points. This means that only the person who set up the Nectar account will be able to use the feature. Any additional card holders won't be able to lock or unlock points.
  
  If you're the primary card holder and can't unlock your points for whatever reason, contact Nectar for help. You can get in touch via its live chat feature or phone 0344 811 0811.

• You can still collect points even if your spending is locked. You will also still be able to convert your Nectar points to Avios while your spending is locked. This includes if you have set your Nectar points to convert to Avios automatically.

The measure follows complaints about Nectar account security

Over the past few months, MoneySavingExpert.com has received dozens of complaints from readers claiming their their points had been redeemed without their permission, sometimes in a location many miles away from their home address.

When we approached Sainsbury's about the issue, it blamed fraudsters "using a variety of tactics" to access customer accounts. It told us that tackling fraud was its "highest priority", adding that it was "constantly improving our systems and processes to help safeguard our customers' points".

Sainsbury's told us it had added this new feature in order to provide an "extra layer of security to customer accounts".

In general, it's best practice to always use different, strong passwords across all of your online accounts. You could use a password manager to help with this – for more info, see the National Cyber Security Centre's guidance.