The concept of an account shutdown is a big concern for those in the Points and Miles community. It’s often tied to a credit card issuer and brings with it a level of anxiety as individuals reflect on their past actions, wondering if the issuer has decided they’re not worth keeping around—leading to the cancellation of their accounts.
There are various factors that can trigger a shutdown. Sometimes, your activities might raise red flags, making it seem like you’re trying to engage in something shady. Perhaps you’ve hit upon a loophole in your bank’s policies, or maybe—just maybe—you’ve been a bit mischievous.
Whatever the case, these situations are definitely not enjoyable and occupy a considerable mental space for many enthusiasts in the points world.
Banks are often the primary culprits in these scenarios, but almost any financial institution or rewards program has the power to shut down accounts, including shopping portals.
What is Rakuten?
For those who might not know, Rakuten is a well-known shopping portal that many turn to for cash-back offers. It consistently delivers competitive rates and is generally very reliable when it comes to tracking purchases and rewarding users correctly.
One of the highlights of Rakuten is the flexibility in how you can receive rewards—whether as cash back or as membership points. This means that a 3x offer could translate to a 3% cash back or a 3x reward on your Amex membership. Given that each Amex Point is roughly valued at 1.55 cents, choosing points over cash often seems like an easy choice. The FM team has collectively earned hundreds of thousands of membership rewards through Rakuten, and quite a few folks we know have racked up even more points using Amex cards linked to it.
Nick’s Experience
Having used Rakuten for years, I found it to be my preferred shopping portal. At FM, we often promote its referral program, which allows us to share referral links when discussing various offers.
A few months back, Nick faced a frustrating situation when he suddenly couldn’t access his Rakuten account. When such incidents occur, the fear of the worst looms large, so Nick reached out to customer service and got a standard response.
To resolve your issue, I’m forwarding your email to the appropriate department. They will reach out as soon as they have more details. Thank you for your patience.
The next day, he got an email from a “specialist” who wanted to know if he had been writing about Rakuten on his blog. After confirming he had, he shared examples of his posts. It turned out the risk algorithm had flagged him for generating an unusually high number of referrals and for posting links on forums, which is against Rakuten’s terms. However, once they reviewed his content regarding Rakuten’s offerings, his account was reinstated.
My Own Shutdown
Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, I found myself in a similar predicament as Nick, unable to log into my account. After reaching out, I received a similar reply stating they would need to escalate my issue.
Days went by without any updates, and I then followed up on my initial query, receiving a reply stating that I still couldn’t log in. Great… just what I wanted to hear.
Finally, two weeks after my initial inquiry, I received a response that was quite unexpected.
We apologize for the confusion surrounding your account. Due to several ineligible orders associated with your account, our Risk Department has terminated your membership.
What? I was honestly bewildered.
My heart sank as I realized I might have lost something significant. I often click on the portal for purchases, hoping they’ll qualify, and while most transactions are tracked and confirmed, it left me questioning what could have gone wrong.
The Response
When an account gets shut down, a remedy is far from guaranteed. Policies generally assure that participation is at the discretion of the company, often managed by an algorithm. And if that algorithm deems you unworthy, well, you’re likely out of luck. Nonetheless, it’s usually worth appealing.
I promptly replied, expressing my genuine confusion. I mentioned I had been a reliable Rakuten user for years and that most orders were appropriately tracked. I suspected the issue might be linked to the number of referrals I had made but clarified that I was simply posting on my blog, not on public forums. About 24 hours later, I received a brief reply:
Your account has been reported by Dell Technologies regarding ineligible order activities, which led to your deactivation.
All I needed was to gather evidence to counter this claim. I was confident I could provide sufficient proof, so I wrote back, asserting that I could show the validity of the orders in question.
Please submit your order confirmation, including the order number, date, shipping, billing address, and price details. Ensure your email headers are intact and unmodified.
Unpacking the Shutdown
As I mentioned, I had confirmation emails for all my Dell orders. I soon realized that I had placed three similar laptop orders on the same day to maximize credits and rewards. Dell confirmed the orders but later canceled them due to insufficient stock, sending me apologies along with discount codes for future purchases.
However, since the orders were initially confirmed, Rakuten issued points. It seemed that Dell had communicated with them about the cancellations, leading to my account being flagged.
I forwarded all evidence and detailed what occurred. I believed I shouldn’t be held responsible for orders canceled due to stock issues. The response from Rakuten was:
Thank you for your inquiry. To rectify your account status, adjustments will be required from the reporting merchants regarding ineligible orders. You will notice the adjustments in your order history, and your access should be restored soon.
Success! But I was surprised they had removed other orders that I wasn’t even aware were flagged. I suspected there was a threshold for what counted as “ineligible” within a specific timeframe, but I wasn’t entirely sure.
Takeaways
In navigating this ordeal, I stumbled upon discussions online where others experienced similar issues. It appears Rakuten updated its risk management policies recently, and they’re vigilant regarding what they classify as ineligible activities.
From this entire experience, I’ve drawn several lessons:
- Keep all order confirmations and correspondence. If I hadn’t had those emails, my account would likely still be down, costing me a significant amount of money. Fortunately, I found someone who actually looked into my situation. Without the evidence, I may have had no recourse.
- If you’re feeling uncertain about order tracking, maybe consider looking elsewhere. I usually click through Rakuten for countless purchases in the hopes of getting rewards. But after hearing others’ experiences, I’m inclined to look at alternative portals.
- Don’t hesitate to fight back. I’ve faced unexpected account closures this year, including with Rakuten. Even when told chances of reinstatement were slim, I persisted—and managed to get my accounts back each time. Had I not fought, I would have definitely lost them.
If Rakuten could clarify their procedures and communicate better with users regarding account deactivations or warnings, that would be ideal, but it seems unlikely in the near future. Still, I’m grateful I found someone willing to advocate for my case. Many others seem to have not been as fortunate.
