People have registered via valid links on United's website, have been confirmed as registered (me among them) and are now spending thousands of dollars (not $40 and 4 miles) using United-branded credit cards to get the stated bonus miles. In so doing, we are foregoing whatever benefits we might have received by using other credit cards. That's tangible damage that United is doing to us if the Airline later claims their confirmed offer isn't applicable.
This is only true if people are changing their spending habits. I typically use the UA card so I registered hoping to get the bonus miles, but it did not alter my spending. I do understand that others have altered their spending because of the bonus miles.
Moreover, changing the terms and conditions ex post facto isn't applicable, Jeff Baby. If we need to reside in Latin America (or on the Moon!) to get the bonus miles, then United better say so before accepting our registrations and then letting us spend our money in reliance upon their fulfillment of the bargain.
This I could not agree more. It really does seem that UA is very slow to fix glitches that are in UA's favor (if this is a glitch). If they know that the registration is being accepted for people who do not qualify then that is unacceptable and won't surprise me if they won't give out the bonus miles.
Like I said before it hasn't altered my spending habits, but if it did I would be upset.