A stranger used my HHonors account for a stay
 

Someone used my HHonors account to stay in a hotel in China a couple months back (I’ve never been to China). I only found it because I got a notification of new points from AwardWallet a few days ago. They didn’t use any of my points — I received 6,000 points for the stay. The receipt shows my name, my home address, my HHonors number, and my linked American Airlines account, but a different credit card number (not mine). I never received any emails about this from hilton until after the stay. What do you guys think happened - did someone make a typo or is this fraudulent activity? If the latter, what did they gain from it? What should I do, call Hilton or keep the points? I did change my password.

As long as you changed your access credentials, I'd let it slide. Likely a typo. Seven or eight years ago I had a similar posting, and there were no subsequent repercussions.

This is a data entry error on the part of someone at Hilton that was not caught or corrected. Nothing more.

Maybe someone checked in with same familyname, as your. I had this situation too, in last year. I wrote to the hotel and they answered, that there was a guest with my familyname and they registred her with my account number.

There is apparently someone with the same first and family name as me who lives a few streets from me, so I need to be pretty specific to make sure they use the correct account if the hotel is looking it up by name.

I have had the same thing happening on my Marriott account. Though it was someone with my exact name staying at a property where I have stayed at earlier. The property has then linked him to my account, assuming I was returning. I guess no one complains being welcomed back as a Gold or Platinum member. I assume the guest in question had your exact name as well.

If it only happens this once, I would not do more about it, just accept some free points. If it keeps occuring, I guess someone found a way to get status benefits (assuming OP has that) without bulding them. And I would talk to HHonors about.

On the one hand... yes, it's unfair for that person to benefit. On the other hand... I'd probably really welcome the source of free points and stays/nights. =P

Is it actually a cause for concern for OP, though?

Well, if it keeps "happening", I would be concerned that Hilton at some point discovers that two different people feed one account with stays/points, and then assume that it wasn't an accident. Which might result in account closure.

Happened to me... For a couple of years an Intercontinental in china regularly posted points to my account for another "E. Chan". I called them and warned them, but it took a few months before someone did anything to correct the error.

Years ago a glitch in Hilton's system basically gave me about 64000 points out of nowhere. I called and told them and they were like, well that's out bad enjoy the points.

I did enjoy the extra points, and I do not grudge him the benefits.

The cause for concern is really only of it happens enough to get in to an audit of the account.

I wonder about this too.
If it is a One off... not a big deal but if it happens again (and again)..
May seem like a win-win (points + credits for OP and benefits for the unknown guest) until an audit happens or there are conflicting stays
Pretty weak position to argue there was no collusion and (OP) thought there are no issues to see unknown transactions in one's account and not report?

If this happens to me (and is the first), I would just ignore it.
But if it happens again, I will write in (not call) and start a paper trail.

Looks like it happened to me as well... I got some points credited along with one stay/night added to my account but no hotel name posted anywhere. Upon checking with Hilton they were not able to locate the reservation...

I would be keen to hear from someone who was "caught out" using the card for someone else
Especially if the account was audited and the account cancelled with loss of points and status

I would be even more keen to know how it's even possible that someone else uses my account.. My last name is not that common so I have no idea how it could have happened.