Waitrose & Partners - Secure Shopping FAQ & Guidance

Keeping your account, payments, and personal details protected.

We work behind the scenes every day to protect your account and grocery orders. Use this quick guide to spot fake messages, prevent online scams, and keep your personal details safe.

Phishing happens when fraudsters pretend to be a brand you trust, like Waitrose, to trick you into sharing personal or financial details. This might be a suspicious email, a fake text message, or a social media post offering deals that seem too good to be true.

How to spot a fake email or message:

Fraudsters use subtle tricks to make fake emails and texts look genuine. Here are four quick checks to keep you safe:

● Verify the sender: If you don't recognise the sender, don't open the email. Be especially wary of potentially malicious emails in your spam folder.

● Watch for urgent requests: Scammers often try to rush you into acting quickly. Pause and verify any unexpected message before sharing details or making a payment.

● Check the spelling: Subtle errors in the sender's address, subject line, or web URL are often a sign of a fake message.

● Be cautious with links: Avoid clicking links or downloading attachments in unexpected emails. Remember, if it looks too good to be true, it very often is.

Payment and account security promise

We will never ask you to share payment information or your account login details via email or text. If we do need to take payment, we’ll only do so by phone once you’ve passed our security checks.

Verifying our emails

To help you confirm a message is genuinely from us, always check the sender's web address after the @ symbol.

Genuine Waitrose emails will only end in:

● @waitrose.com

● @waitrose.co.uk

● @eml.waitrose.com

Examples of fake email addresses

Scammers often add extra words, change characters, or use free email providers to trick you. Watch out for variations such as:

● @waitrosepartners.com (added words)

● @waitrosepartnerships.com (added words)

● @wai1rose.co.uk (using the number 1 instead of the letter t)

● wrpartners@gmail.com (using a public webmail address)

Our official web address will always contain waitrose.com. For example, our customer support information can be found at www.waitrose.com/ecom/help-information/customer-service. 

Check links before clicking: On a computer, hover your mouse over any link to check the destination URL. On a mobile or tablet, press and hold the link to preview the web address.

Official sites only: We do not operate any separate "discount" or "outlet" websites. If a link takes you to a domain without waitrose.com, it is fake.

You might see an offer or competition on social media that looks like it’s from us. Apart from being too good to be true a lot of the time, the way you’ll know a Facebook or Instagram post is genuine is if you see a little blue symbol with a tick next to our name. If it doesn’t have that, it’s fake.

Don’t give out any personal information over the phone before you’ve verified who you’re speaking to. If in doubt, you can always call our customer services team back using the registered number from our contact us page, or tap the link in our app. You can also check with them if an email you’ve received is authentic or not.

Criminals often use automated tools to try stolen passwords on popular accounts across the web. If a login you use on another site is ever exposed in an external data breach, scammers may attempt to use it here. Using a unique password for your Waitrose account ensures an issue on another website never puts your grocery account at risk. Here is how to stay one step ahead:

● Use three random words: Create a strong, memorable password by combining three random words, as recommended by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

● Never reuse passwords: Keep your Waitrose login distinct from your personal email, banking, and other online shopping accounts.

● Simplify with a password manager: Consider using a reputable password manager or your browser's built-in tool to store your unique logins safely.

We're committed to your privacy. Our Privacy Notice explains in detail the types of personal data we may collect about you when you interact with us. As well as how we’ll store and handle that data, and keep it safe.

Cookies are tiny text files stored on your computer when you visit certain web pages. We use cookies to keep track of what you have in your basket and to remember you when you return to our site.
We also use banner advertising on other websites to present you with products we think may be of interest to you, based on your browsing history.

We maintain the highest levels of security on waitrose.com – and take the privacy and security of your payment and personal details very seriously.

Our site uses high-level SSL encryption technology, the most advanced security software currently available for online transactions. You can tell whether a page is secure as 'https' will replace the 'http' at the front of the www.waitrose.com in your browser address window. A small locked padlock will also appear in the bottom bar of your browser window. Only connect to secure wireless networks that you trust.

Our checkout process uses Visa Secure, Mastercard® Identity Check™ and American Express SafeKey®. You may be asked by your bank for secondary authentication; this is designed to protect you against fraudulent activity. To use these services, you must first register with the bank or other organisation that issued your card.

Using an unsecured network in a public place can be risky because unauthorised people may try to intercept anything you're doing online. We recommend you only connect to secure wireless networks that you trust, and to always be aware of the risks associated with using public WiFi.

Secure free WiFi is available in our shops.

If you need further guidance or suspect you have been targeted by scammers, these national resources offer free, expert support:

● Contact your bank directly (159): If you have shared financial details or suspect bank fraud, call 159. This service connects you safely to your bank's fraud team.

● Report cyber crime to Report Fraud: If you have lost money or been the victim of an online scam, search online for Report Fraud to log the incident directly with the police.

● Explore guidance from the NCSC: Visit the National Cyber Security Centre at ncsc.gov.uk for official UK advice on spotting online fraud and keeping your accounts safe.