Originally Posted by
kzisme
What is Hyatt's stance on purchasing GOH/FNA's? I see them on some Facebook groups (trading/buying/selling) so I don't think they would care that much. Just curious if anyone had ever ran into issues doing this.
Buying points or miles or awards is undoubtedly a violation of the terms and conditions for every loyalty program. Offers anywhere (Facebook, Reddit, eBay) should be viewed with a massive grain of salt*. Although Hyatt actively promotes “gifting” awards, the difference between “gifted” and “purchased” is a matter of interpretation.
There are reports, some 20 or more years old, of shutdowns (both seller and buyer) and boarding denials for illegitimately obtained/sold points and/or miles and/or award tickets.
How much any specific program cares, and the consequences thereof, is anyone’s guess.
There’s little written in that regard for all programs on these forums undoubtedly because most of us have a large enough grain of salt to preclude even thinking about such risky behavior.
The Coupon Connection is a forum here available to members with more than a certain # of posts (?300, ?500). Some of the “warnings” from that forum are quoted below. Some of us, out of an abundance of caution, will not participate in Coupon Connection trades/exchanges.
3. Isn't the trading of miles/points/awards against the rules (both the airlines' and per the forum's description) since it's "bartering"? Isn't this "illegal"?
Many people may use the term “illegal”. There is nothing illegal about exchanging these items. There may, however, be rules within each loyalty program which prohibit such transactions, and those rules may include penalties up to and including termination of your account and seizure of your miles or points. …
Note: We have evidence that loyalty program staff read this forum and have taken actions against members who utilize Coupon Connection. You are encouraged to be very careful and research your trading partners. In particular, dealing with brokers can cause issues with the various loyalty programs.
* AI Overview: The Ancient Origins Behind The Phrase 'Grain Of Salt': To "take something with a grain of salt" (or "pinch of salt") means to view a statement, claim, or story with skepticism, caution, or doubt, rather than accepting it as completely true. It implies that the information may be exaggerated, misleading, or inaccurate, suggesting one should not believe it 100%.
The commonly cited source is a description by the Roman writer Pliny the Elder of the recipe for the potion/antidote, prepared for Mithridates of Pontus, which was supposed to render him immune to poison. Pliny records that the 70-odd ingredients were to be taken with a grain of salt (not cum grano salis, as commonly supposed by backformation, but addito salis grano). Theoretically, then, the saying refers to the dubious efficacy of the potion.