Please don't be so sensitive. I am certainly not judging you in any way. What you do is your business and certainly not mine and you don't have to justify it to me or anyone.

I was merely pointing out that " strictly speaking" it is possibly against the rules and highlighting that it "might" be wise, therefore, not to broadcast it. Whether you pay or not is irrelevant to the question, other than being a requirement for credit. If I pay for a room with SPG and don't stay in it then actually by the terms of "their " program I'm not entitled to a credit, for either the money spent or the stay credit. That has happened when I have paid for rooms on a prepaid basis and a flight cancellation has prevented me staying. Some people get credit, others don't. YMMV.

Although,if we are entirely honest, if you weren't concerned about whether it was legitimate I guess you wouldn't have asked so the outrage is a weeny bit disingenuous.