Should you link your card to the Starbucks app?

TikTok user Miquela (@kella_k) recently shared a warning for Starbucks app users after discovering suspicious activity on her account.

What went wrong with the Starbucks app?

The woman explains that she uses the Starbucks app almost daily, mostly for mobile ordering and collecting stars. But on a recent payday, things didn’t look good when she checked her bank account.

“I’m seeing all these Starbucks deals,” she said, confused because it was so early in the morning that her local Starbucks wasn’t even open yet.

After noticing the unknown charges, Miquela checked her app history. To her shock, she discovered that someone had accessed her account, making several orders using her saved debit card.

“If you have your debit or credit card preloaded on the app, I strongly encourage you to delete it,” she warned.

The unknown user made several purchases, including four drinks with extra caramel and syrups, as well as a sandwich. They later returned to buy more drinks and snacks, racking up $33 in one visit and multiple transactions throughout the day.

In conclusion, Miquela advises other users of the Starbucks app to avoid storing payment details in the app.

“Let’s go to the drive-thru and give them our card and then scan the stars,” she suggests.

As a final cherry, Miquela also realized that the thief had redeemed his stars, a perk that Starbucks offers to frequent customers.

“As if using my card to buy your drinks and food wasn’t enough, the stars redeemed me,” she concludes.

What are some ways to avoid hacking?

Identity theft is a major problem in the U.S. In 2023, Identity Theft Resource Center reported that the personal information of 353 million Americans was compromised—a 72 percent increase from 2021.

Fortunately, there is MODES to protect yourself online.

For example, multi-factor authentication is a protection method that all experts advise because it effectively prevents anyone but you from accessing your accounts.

Other methods are using password managers, becoming familiar with common phishing techniques, updating passwords frequently, and more.

According to his official websiteStarbucks encourages users to contact customer support immediately if they encounter any suspicious activity. The Daily Dot has reached out to the company for more information.

In the comments, users were amazed at how this happened, while others shared their security tips.

“How is this happening?!?!?” one user asked. “Must have gotten my password to log into the @Starbucks app and saved my debit card as a payment method unfortunately,” Miquela replied.

“Mine needs Face ID to load money on my Starbucks card,” noted another user. “Isn’t that a standard for everyone?”

“Do you have two-factor authentication enabled?” asked a third. Miquela answered this question as well, writing: “I didn’t… now I do!”

The Daily Dot reached out to Miquela via Instagram and TikTok messages. I also contacted Starbucks via email.

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What went wrong with the Starbucks app?

What are some ways to avoid hacking?

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