Unable to process redemption request

[Bill842693]

System will not let me redeem rewards to enter any sweepstakes or instant wins. Just gives me an “Unable to process redemption” notice.  I got on chat twice, and both times was told they would escalate to someone to resolve issue and that AARP would contact me.  So far, nobody has gotten back to me, and I still cannot redeem rewards points to enter sweepstakes or instant wins.  I am new to AARP and am very disappointed.  Very frustrating. 

[DeronB437991]

I fixed the problem for me, called and canceled my 2 days of membership.  Thanks Bye,  Deron

[MichaelH852670]

Me too! Started failing yesterday. I was hoping it was something new they broke and it would be fixed soon. Doesn't sound like it. Time to contact support and hope for the best. Is there ANYONE that has gotten this fixed?

[DarrylL35959]

Hi @MichaelH852670 

Yes, you’ll need to contact support so a case can be created to help resolve this issue. If you haven’t already reached out to AARP Support, you can do so here: AARP Help. If you have done so, send me a private message so I can check the case status  -AARP Darryl 

[MichaelH852670]

I sent you a couple private messages. I included my email address in the second one.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Mike

[Bill842693]

@MichaelH852670 @DarrylL35959 I eventually received an email from someone claiming to be Cynthia from AARP Customer Care, but she said to call a direct number, not the general customer care number because general customer care could not forward call to her. It sounded fishy, so I did not respond to the email and forwarded it to customer care and asked if it was legitimate. Nobody responded to me. 

I am still gathering rewards points, but am not expending any additional effort to fix the problem and fully expect the rewards points to all expire unused.  Just for the heck of it, I am going to see if I can accrue 1,000,000 points before stopping all activities.

[MichaelH852670]

I got the same email today, also from Cynthia. It is from consumercare@aarp.org so should be legit. I will be calling her tomorrow so will let you know how it goes.

PS: I also tried to buy 5 x $100 Lowes gift cards last night. It took my money but no gift cards arrived. Via chat they said, "Oh, yes in addition to being messed up for points it is mess up for purchases as well. They opened another ticket against the purchased gifts cards to see if they could expedit refunding my money or getting me the gift cards. I should have known better than to try buying them... now who knows how long I am out $450.

[MichaelH852670]

I can confirm that the email from Cynthia is legitimate.

Thanks to @DarrylL35959 I was called by Travis today to discuss my issue and he confirmed Cynthia is a coworker of his and the emails are standard format and that they were having some possible issues with recently changed phone numbers and may be why I was not able to connect properly. His number is only different than the one I had for her by the last two digits.

Thanks again to @DarrylL35959 for helping to facilitate my issue(s).

[MichaelH852670]

My account has been fixed!!!! Travis told me Friday he was forwarding to the technical team and going to do everything he could to get my issue(s) resolved this weekend. This morning I received my 5 x $100 Lowes gift cards and went and ran the Instant Wins and they worked (I lost 🙂 but they worked). I am so impressed with the overall support and amazingly fast support. I had not anticipated that at all. Thanks again to @DarrylL35959 and Travis for their awesome support! I hope this gives some hope to others that their points issues can get resolved.

[SereneSeagull]

Thanks for updating!  

[SereneSeagull]

Sounds fishy to me.  

[MichaelH852670]

I tried calling Cynthia at ConsumerCare@AARP.org at the number provided in the email (626-585-2625) and it fails saying "The number you have dialed is not in service at this time." I called after 8AM PST as it noted.

What now????

[Bill842693]

@MichaelH852670 @DarrylL35959 she gave me a different number. It’s close to the number you listed. I am hesitant to put the number in an open forum, as I am not sure it’s legit, and, if legit, not sure she would want the world to know her direct line.

[SummerOnTheWay1]

📎   [5/28/26] Hi Bill @Bill842693 , I just "glanced" at your PREVIOUS posts & NOT seeing where your Rewards Account has been "fixed"?

Has it?

The LAST time we "chatted" here on site (5/21/26) you had said you were going let things fall in place if they did.

*** Personally from my own experience & then fixed last year (2025), those phone numbers could be a SCAMMER taking "advantage" of all this. But it may ALSO be "software" generated (AI). Who knows. What a "hot mess" going on 2 years. 😱

Take care,

Nicole!

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➡️[*** BILL @Bill842693 wrote:

@MichaelH852670 @DarrylL35959 she gave me a different number. It’s close to the number you listed. I am hesitant to put the number in an open forum, as I am not sure it’s legit, and, if legit, not sure she would want the world to know her direct line.

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[Bill842693]

@SummerOnTheWay1 Hi Nicole:  no, it is not resolved. But, I am not spending any more time trying to fix it, so I doubt it will get resolved.  This is unfortunate because I have a lot of points. I do not trust the email I received, so I am not calling the number.  

[SereneSeagull]

Doesn’t sound legit to me @MichaelH852670   Ask @DarrylL35959 

[SereneSeagull]

Hi @Bill842693 , I see @DarrylL35959 is reaching out again like he did further down on this thread February 28, at 9:50 am when he responded to you, back then as well.  See if he can pull any further strings.  The fact that it was February then, and it’s May now…maybe he can collect favors that others can’t seem to cash.

[DarrylL35959]

Hi @Bill842693 

Please private message with your email so I can review your account to verify if it was legit. -AARP Darryl

[SummerOnTheWay1]

📎   [5/21/26] Bill @Bill842693 , have you ever been able to "redeem" since joining the AARP Rewards Program? This 2025 GLITCH started to "affect" BOTH new & old Reward Accounts. Mine was new (May 2025) and from day 1, could NOT redeem, just earn. From my "search" on this AARP Community Board - I saw posts complaining about this glitch from BOTH new and old members. Some members had been here forever. I am SO SORRY you are going through this. Hopefully they will get it "fixed" soon for you. Yes, it was so frustrating for me last year (2025). And yes, it took longer than it should to fix my account, but it got fixed.

*** I had also received an AARP email with an employee name & direct phone number. I left a voicemail. My account was fixed BEFORE I received the email from AARP telling me it had been. I kept trying to redeem whenever I thought of it.

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➡️[*** BILL @Bill842693 wrote:

@MichaelH852670 @DarrylL35959 I eventually received an email from someone claiming to be Cynthia from AARP Customer Care, but she said to call a direct number, not the general customer care number because general customer care could not forward call to her. It sounded fishy, so I did not respond to the email and forwarded it to customer care and asked if it was legitimate. Nobody responded to me. 

I am still gathering rewards points, but am not expending any additional effort to fix the problem and fully expect the rewards points to all expire unused.  Just for the heck of it, I am going to see if I can accrue 1,000,000 points before stopping all activities.

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[Bill842693]

@SummerOnTheWay1 I am a new member and have never been able to redeem points.  

[SummerOnTheWay1]

📎   [5/21/26] Bill @Bill842693 , NOT saying this helped me - but I would WAIT the 10 biz days EVERY TIME they tell you when they ESCALATE our issues - then CONTACT THEM AGAIN & keep repeating until your issue is fixed. Really means the AARP Customer Service employees have "notified" the AARP IT Department that you called. I skipped the Chat & Text options as they are AI. Depending on WHO answered, they would ESCALATE AGAIN. What I found is that SOME AARP Customer Service employees will NOT help. Not sure why. So I hang up & try ANOTHER time = hit the jackpot & get one that does help. I then tell them that my issue still EXISTS. And IF I have NOT been "contacted" by the AARP IT Department, tell that too. Then WAIT another 10 biz days. Lol, not sure IF keeping my issue in their faces helped - but it is worth a try. Also, always remember to be NICE to the person on the phone. Yes, I was p.ssed off but know from my years before retiring = when someone was awful on the phone at my job = I DIDNOT go out of my way to help them. 😉 For the employees who REFUSED to help/care, thanked their a.ses, then said "Have a great day" - then hung up. Too old to be letting folks stress me out or waste my precious time arguing with them. Anyway, NO pressure to listen to this old lady, but wanted to share what worked for me last year (2025). Fingers crossed you will be able to redeem SOON!!! 🤞

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➡️[*** BILL @Bill842693 wrote:

@SummerOnTheWay1 I am a new member and have never been able to redeem points.  

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[Bill842693]

@SummerOnTheWay1 Good tips.  I am always nice to service persons.  It’s a thankless job.  Nobody calls because everything is ok.  

I do not plan on spending any more time contacting any representatives.  If it gets fixed, great.  If not, I have other things to do with my time during the day.

[SereneSeagull]

Some have had this for months, @MichaelH852670 .  Once you contact AARP they’ll look into it and get the name and date of your call and what they say.  I’m a big one on documentation.  Haven’t had this happen yet, but believe me I’m ready for the hoops to jump and how I’ll handle it.  

They will start a 10 day wait before you should call back again, and others have had this 10 days wait turn into another 10, etc… then crickets.  Contact them on Monday as they are off on the weekend.

[JohnW816021]

Same problem for months, customer service is a joke on this!

Recommend every affected member CANCEL AUTOMATIC RENEWAL in protest--this might "help".

Btw, they make doing that hard to find...but it's there under "My Account Details"

You can even explain "why" you are canceling auto renewal (Rewards Scam)

[LutherF]

Have they fixed your issue?  I am having this same problem (since Feb 1st).

[Bill842693]

@LutherF Not yet.  It appears I am in the hopper, but they need to look into each situation individually because there isn’t one cause for everyone.  

[JohnW816021]

Same problem for months, customer service is a joke on this!

Recommend every affected member CANCEL AUTOMATIC RENEWAL in protest--this might "help".

Btw, they make doing that hard to find...but it's there under "My Account Details"

You can even explain "why" you are canceling auto renewal (Rewards Scam)

[LutherF]

It’s hard to believe it is taking this long to resolve this issue. What about the members who are experiencing the same problem but haven’t complained? Are you telling me that AARP is unaware of glitches on its own platform until a user provides input? Really?

[RosemaryM129167]

I too am having this issue. I have been trying to get answers for about a month and a half now to no resolve.

[JohnW816021]

Same problem for months, customer service is a joke on this!

Recommend every affected member CANCEL AUTOMATIC RENEWAL in protest--this might "help".

Btw, they make doing that hard to find...but it's there under "My Account Details"

You can even explain "why" you are canceling auto renewal (Rewards Scam)