Lawsuit: Man racks up $48,500 in gift cards via glitch in hotel rewards program
Jun 4, 2015, 7:05 pm
#16
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 3,360
That's what makes this a "glitch". This horrible man stumbled on a method to rack up points without staying at the hotel. He used that method to defraud Choice.
Jun 4, 2015, 8:02 pm
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: New York City
Posts: 4,002
I was thinking that surely someone on FlyerTalk would have posted this trick, but so far as I can see, no one has. No points for my canceled stays, either.
Jun 4, 2015, 8:35 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
Jun 4, 2015, 9:34 pm
#19
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: JGC,SFC, BestWestern DS, Choice P, HH D, Hyatt Ds, IHG D, Marriott P, Radisson V, Wyndham D, Sixt P
Posts: 76
$50 Gift card costs 16,000 Choice Privileges Points.
So, he got 15,520,000 Choice Privileges Points.
He can transfer points to AA or UA and get 3,104,000 miles.
So, he got 15,520,000 Choice Privileges Points.
He can transfer points to AA or UA and get 3,104,000 miles.
Last edited by Global1Flyer; Jun 4, 2015 at 9:41 pm
Jun 5, 2015, 3:22 am
#20
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Jun 5, 2015, 4:25 am
#22
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Cashing out for gift cards seems a rather desperate move to be insulated from Choice clawing back and wiping out all the points, unless it was part of a "rinse and repeat" shopping mall approach.
Jun 5, 2015, 6:02 am
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,008
They would need to post a sign right next to the cash saying "This cash is private property. You may not take it. If you take it, that is theft." That sign would need to be front and center so that a person could not claim ignorance.
Without that, any sane person would logically conclude that it's fair game.
Without that, any sane person would logically conclude that it's fair game.
An interesting interpretation. Not accurate, but certainly interesting.
I'm going with "No". I guess we'll see.
Jun 5, 2015, 6:22 am
#24
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 8,460
You consider anything out in public that does not have a "Do not steal" sign on it to be free for anyone to take? My car in the driveway? Kid's bike on the lawn? Statue on the courthouse steps? Just asking to be taken?
An interesting interpretation. Not accurate, but certainly interesting.
An interesting interpretation. Not accurate, but certainly interesting.
Jun 5, 2015, 6:49 am
#25
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
Join Date: Jun 2000
Programs: Honors Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle, National Exec Elite
Posts: 36,027
Per http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...-how-post.html let's move this to the appropriate hotel forum, thanks.
cblaisd
Moderator, Travel News
cblaisd
Moderator, Travel News
Jun 5, 2015, 9:54 am
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Freeload Univ. Where are you sitting?
Posts: 14,818
With 15 million Choice points, I could live in Choice hotels for five years and have breakfast, dinner and gym access included while being within 25 minutes of a major airport with daily non-stop flights to multiple points in Africa, Asia, Europe and North America on major carriers.
Remember, Choice points have a hard expiration date, and it's a lot less than 5 years.
Jun 5, 2015, 11:59 am
#27
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Jun 5, 2015, 3:56 pm
#28
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: American and Southwest. Hilton and Marriott hotels primarily.
Posts: 6,461
Jun 5, 2015, 6:38 pm
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: ATL Lost Luggage
Programs: Kettle with Kryptonium Medallion Tags
Posts: 10,308
From the article:
He's going to need a better defense than that...
"I'll be hiring a lawyer tomorrow to fight the suit as there was nothing done illegal nor was anything done in malice," Chat said late Tuesday. "I stayed at over 1,100 Choice hotels in the last five years. … I worked with their bonus structure to obtain points."
He added, "I'm not even computer literate. If I obtained more rewards than allowed, it's on their end, not mine. As I've stayed in their hotels exclusively for over six years, points do accumulate."
He added, "I'm not even computer literate. If I obtained more rewards than allowed, it's on their end, not mine. As I've stayed in their hotels exclusively for over six years, points do accumulate."
Jun 6, 2015, 3:00 am
#30
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: West Coast, USA
Programs: Skywards Platinum
Posts: 3,747
There are several home improvement stores in my area that leave merchandise outside after closing (garden sheds, granite, etc...), same with my local supermarket that has charcoal briquettes sitting outside, even after closing. You will be arrested for theft if you go there and take them (and get caught).