Starwood Preferred Guest - Disappointed by misleading SPG e-mail

I am a bit dismayed that I received an e-mail from SPG today stating that I need to "retain my points with this exclusive offer". The problem is that I retain my points by using my AMEX starwood card every month. The e-mail insinuates in clever language that my account is close to being deemed inactive, though the fineprint explains the typical rule: An active account needs to earn or redeem starpoints.

Am I being too picky or do I have a legitimate concern?

I am a bit dismayed that I received an e-mail from SPG today stating that I need to "retain my points with this exclusive offer". The problem is that I retain my points by using my AMEX starwood card every month. The e-mail insinuates in clever language that my account is close to being deemed inactive, though the fineprint explains the typical rule: An active account needs to earn or redeem starpoints.

Am I being too picky or do I have a legitimate concern?

Interesting question - why don't you call Amex AND *wood and see what the answer(s) is? It would be interesting since one of the things that *wood toots is the fact that there are never expiring points along with no blackout dates.

Please report back as to what you learn.

TWAforever, could it also be possible that you received a so-called "phishing" e-mail which didn't come from or on behalf of Starwood at all, but is seeking to invade your personal data?

I don't think it is the phishing scam unless there is a different scam than the one already being mentioned on FT.

It is basically an e-mail offering an SPG50 if I have a stay by August 31.

I think it is misleading in the fact that the subject line of the e-mail is: TWAforever, retain your starpoints with this exclusive offer.

The body of the e-mail is as follows (I have bolded what I think is relevant):

"We haven't seen you in a while — and we'd like to welcome you back to Starwood with this exclusive promotion. Simply stay once by August 31, 2005, and you'll enjoy 50% off regular RACK rates on a future stay any time through November 30, 2005.

To keep your account active and retain your XX Starpoints®, you need to earn or redeem Starpoints, and this offer is a great way to do it. There's no need to register — we'll send you a confirmation email message once you've earned the award."

The point is that I know that my points are not about to expire because I use the Starwood AMEX every month, so I am always at least 11 months from my account being inactive. Why send me an e-mail discussing retaining points and remaining active if I have qualifying activity every month?

Unfortunately, there is probably some person (or many people) not in the know who receives this e-mail and rushes out to complete a stay for fear that their points are going to be lost.

Interesting question - why don't you call Amex AND *wood and see what the answer(s) is? It would be interesting since one of the things that *wood toots is the fact that there are never expiring points along with no blackout dates.

Please report back as to what you learn.
I thought *wood points expire without activity within a certain period. :confused:

Per the terms I found:

You will be considered an "Active Member" so long as you have earned Starpoints as a result of activities at participating Starwood Properties or as a result of use of the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express during the previous twelve months

In 2003, Starwood sent out a bunch of "Don't risk losing your Starpoints" e-mails to people who were in no danger of losing their Starpoints, and there were complaints about the practice.

There are some s-l-o-w learners at Starwood.

In 2003, Starwood sent out a bunch of "Don't risk losing your Starpoints" e-mails to people who were in no danger of losing their Starpoints, and there were complaints about the practice.

There are some s-l-o-w learners at Starwood.


I received the same one.

I am a bit dismayed that I received an e-mail from SPG today stating that I need to "retain my points with this exclusive offer". The problem is that I retain my points by using my AMEX starwood card every month. The e-mail insinuates in clever language that my account is close to being deemed inactive, though the fineprint explains the typical rule: An active account needs to earn or redeem starpoints.

Am I being too picky or do I have a legitimate concern?

I earn a lot of Starwood points every month on my CDN MBNA SPG Mastercard and I received that same e-mail on June 13 saying I would lose all my points if I didn't stay by Aug.31. I'll be staying in SPG properties before the Aug.31 deadline in the e-mail anyway but I am pretty pissed off with this threat.

Well, they are probably okay legally if they write in the fine prints that you would not loose the 1000 points to redeem a SPG50 since the offer gives you the SPG50 but I would not be happy about the tone of the e-mail either.