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Hilton Points Pooling - Account Closed. Beware !!

Old Dec 11, 2017, 1:13 am
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Last edit by: MaldivesFreak
Here is a link to Hilton T & C on pooling:

http://hiltonhonors3.hilton.com/en/p...money/faq.html

1. What is Points Pooling?
Points Pooling will allow Hilton Honors Members to combine their Points with family and friends to book a stay. With this perk, a Member (and up to 10 others) will now be able to combine their Points. For example, if a group of friends are taking a trip together and individually dont have enough Points to cover their entire stay, they will now be able to combine their Points, free of charge, into one account to unlock new redemption opportunities.

2. Is there a fee to participate in the Points Pooling program?
No, there is no fee to participate in Points Pooling.

3. How many people can contribute to Points Pooling?
A total of 11 Hilton Honors Members can pool their Points together. One Member initiates the pooling and up to 10 other Members can contribute.

4. Do I need to create a new "pooled" account?
No. Members can use their existing account.

5. How many Points Pools can I be in?
There is no limit on the number of pools a member can be in at a given time.

6. Can you use Pooled Points for just room rates or can it be used for non-room rewards including shopping and experiences?
Yes, once Points are pooled, they can be used for any room or non-room reward product, including the experiences available on the Hilton Honors auction platform, Hilton Honors Shopping Mall and any other non-room reward products.

7. Can you combine Pooled Points with money?
Once Points are pooled they can be used for any room reward product, including a Points & Money Rewards reward reservation.

8. What is the minimum/maximum number of Points that can be pooled?
A Member can transfer a minimum of 1,000 Points and a maximum of 500,000 Points into a pool in a calendar year. A Member can receive up to 2 million Points in a calendar year.

9. Are there particular qualifications you must meet to be able to pool Points?
To use Points Pooling, you must be an active Member, be in the program for 30 days, and have a minimum Points balance of 1,000 Points.

10. When will Points Pooling be available?
Points Pooling is now available. Start pooling your Hilton Honors Points here.

11. When will the Points be shown in the other Members account and be ready for use?
The transferred or pooled Points will be available for use at the time of transfer, but please allow up to 24 hours for pooled Points to show up when you log in to your account.

12. Where and how do I Points Pool once I have a group of Members that want to combine Points?
All Points Pooling activities will be transacted online via HiltonHonors.com.

13. Where do I go to transfer my Points to the Points Pool initiator?
The Points contributor must access the transfer page through the Points Pool invitation email sent on behalf ot the Points Pool initiator.

14. Whats the difference between Points Pooling and Points Transfer?
Points Transfer is a 1:1 transaction, while Points Pooling allows for combining Hilton Honors Points with up to 10 other people (11 including yourself).

15. After I send Points to a friend for Pooling, what happens if he/she cancels the trip? How can I get my Points back?
If your friend has to cancel his/her trip, he/she can simply transfer the Points back to your account for free.
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Hilton Points Pooling - Account Closed. Beware !!

Old Sep 24, 2017, 12:25 pm
  #136  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Somewhere in Europe
Posts: 3,362
Doesn't the system prevent you from purchasing if you have reached the limit for the year? I can't see Hilton shutting the account down solely because the OP had somehow managed to purchase more points than was allowed if they went through the normal purchasing channel to acquire them.

OP are you able to post a link to the reviews you put online? It may make things a bit clearer if we can actually see what you have written/reviewed.

It's possible that a few of the hotels that you have complained about are all owned or operated by the same company/Franchise. The hotels will be charged a fee by Hilton for handling the complaints and it's possible your name has popped up on the monthly return to Hilton a few times in quick succession and a beancounter has spotted it, raised it with management as a concern and they have duly asked HH to take a look at the account.

Also I'm sure you are aware that your "Worth" as a customer is also tracked by hotel companies. They have CRM systems that are pretty good at calculating how valuable a customer you are etc etc. All the feedback, complaints, compliments, compensation, in-hotel spending etc etc is logged on Hiltons OnQ system. If you are non-profitable or a perpetual complainer you will flag in no time at all whilst Hilton have been known in the past to "Invite customers to stop staying with them" following bouts of perpetual complaining.
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Old Sep 24, 2017, 3:22 pm
  #137  
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
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OP is in Inno-tech. Maybe this is understandable.

When I buy software the Inno-tech company retains ownership and can cancel my license without compensation if I improperly use the software.

When I buy points the hotel company retains ownership and can cancel my points without compensation if I violate the T&C of the hotel company.

They own the points. I buy permission to use them knowing that I do not own them. When they take them back, I might be surprised but I never did own them.
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Old Sep 24, 2017, 6:30 pm
  #138  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,989
Originally Posted by chrism20
OP are you able to post a link to the reviews you put online? It may make things a bit clearer if we can actually see what you have written/reviewed.
Agreed. OP, could you share some of your feedbacks posted on the various travel portals?
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Old Sep 26, 2017, 9:08 am
  #139  
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Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 24
Originally Posted by MP001
OP, every comment you add raises more questions:

"Both of us are platinum of Marriott and never been Hilton, just matched Hilton at Apr and July 2017."

So if you status matched in April and did not like Hilton, why do it again in July and keep staying at Hilton properties and buy Honors point when you are Diamond Marriott?
Just stay with Marriott (unless they closed your account...)
So if you have a baby hilton in April and did not like hilton why do it again in July and keep teaching Hilton and buy Honors cloths when you have elder kid Marriott?
Just stay with Marriott (unless elder kid Marriott closed your xxx...)

Make sense?

Originally Posted by PayItForward
Agreed. OP, could you share some of your feedbacks posted on the various travel portals?
Sirs and madams, as said
1. No complaint in public media
2. Can't attached links here

As said, even I post complaint to TripAdvisor for SPG/Marriott group, they will be appreciate but not angry. It is normal response for an international hotel group.

It is no idea about why a service provider can act as a princess.

Originally Posted by chrism20
Doesn't the system prevent you from purchasing if you have reached the limit for the year? I can't see Hilton shutting the account down solely because the OP had somehow managed to purchase more points than was allowed if they went through the normal purchasing channel to acquire them.

OP are you able to post a link to the reviews you put online? It may make things a bit clearer if we can actually see what you have written/reviewed.

It's possible that a few of the hotels that you have complained about are all owned or operated by the same company/Franchise. The hotels will be charged a fee by Hilton for handling the complaints and it's possible your name has popped up on the monthly return to Hilton a few times in quick succession and a beancounter has spotted it, raised it with management as a concern and they have duly asked HH to take a look at the account.

Also I'm sure you are aware that your "Worth" as a customer is also tracked by hotel companies. They have CRM systems that are pretty good at calculating how valuable a customer you are etc etc. All the feedback, complaints, compliments, compensation, in-hotel spending etc etc is logged on Hiltons OnQ system. If you are non-profitable or a perpetual complainer you will flag in no time at all whilst Hilton have been known in the past to "Invite customers to stop staying with them" following bouts of perpetual complaining.
In fact, we are OK to leave Hilton if compensation for points.
1. We stay in hilton since points incentives.
2. We buy points as points is a great choice for cat 1 2 hotels
3. We give comments since we love to contribute. "make it better", "fight for excellent", "we have a dream" are all our slogans in inno-tech world and they all eager for comment.
4. T&C which used to earn money which over what committed, it is dishonest. It is no reason for any merchant to earn much more than they provided no matter any reasons or any T&Cs.
5. It is no warning / no facts but suddenly closed 2 accounts. What we did just before closed is only pooling points from my boyfriend. (More than 20 posts in Chinese are account closed by pooling)
6. Over weeks, hilton did not directly handle the case but only reply 2 emails with content:
I. Accounts closed since violated T&C (no facts)
II. Accounts will not be consider to re-open since we give too much complaint.

It is terrible that an international hotel groups can do it as a dishonest merchant to overselling coupons. Selling points in half price and closed all members accounts if they "believe" / "suspect" violation of T&C and they DO preserve the right to change T&C.

It is totally not make sense for consumer protection.

Originally Posted by Zoe Tse
In fact, we are OK to leave Hilton if compensation for points.
1. We stay in hilton since points incentives.
2. We buy points as points is a great choice for cat 1 2 hotels
3. We give comments since we love to contribute. "make it better", "fight for excellent", "we have a dream" are all our slogans in inno-tech world and they all eager for comment.
4. T&C which used to earn money which over what committed, it is dishonest. It is no reason for any merchant to earn much more than they provided no matter any reasons or any T&Cs.
5. It is no warning / no facts but suddenly closed 2 accounts. What we did just before closed is only pooling points from my boyfriend. (More than 20 posts in Chinese are account closed by pooling)
6. Over weeks, hilton did not directly handle the case but only reply 2 emails with content:
I. Accounts closed since violated T&C (no facts)
II. Accounts will not be consider to re-open since we give too much complaint.

It is terrible that an international hotel groups can do it as a dishonest merchant to overselling coupons. Selling points in half price and closed all members accounts if they "believe" / "suspect" violation of T&C and they DO preserve the right to change T&C.

It is totally not make sense for consumer protection.
In short, it is no other example to close 2 accounts at the same time, particular for my account. I made nothing complaints and new match for totally 10 stays only. Hilton closed our both accounts by mistake since they "believe" my boyfriend sold me points.

However, finally, Hilton can keep them closed by "suspecting violated T&C". members can do nothing. Complaint is invalid in consumer council of both HK and China, since Hilton Honor have no office neither HK nor China.

What should/can a flyer (freq travellers) do if it is the fact?

Thanks for your support/advice.
​​​​​​

Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; Oct 6, 2017 at 7:19 pm Reason: merge consecutive posts
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Old Sep 26, 2017, 11:11 am
  #140  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,131
Originally Posted by Zoe Tse
5. It is no warning / no facts but suddenly closed 2 accounts. What we did just before closed is only pooling points from my boyfriend. (More than 20 posts in Chinese are account closed by pooling)
So to summarize, you had 2 accounts that each purchased the maximum number of points allowed in a year, and then consolidated those points into a single account.

Thus you've got one account that has (in effect) purchased more points than is allowed in a single year. And where those purchases were done in a way that (apparently) deliberately circumvented the rules (purchased in 2 separate accounts and then merged into one)

Hilton closed your account due to this breach of T&C.

Notice that I have failed to mention anything about your "reviews" above? There's a reason for that... Whilst it's certainly possible any negative reviews might have had an impact on Hilton reversing their decision to close your accounts, I would be fairly certain it had nothing to do with your accounts being closed in the first place.
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Old Sep 26, 2017, 12:33 pm
  #141  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Europe
Programs: BAEC Silver; AerClub Silver, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 312
Originally Posted by Zoe Tse
So if you have a baby hilton in April and did not like hilton why do it again in July and keep teaching Hilton and buy Honors cloths when you have elder kid Marriott?
Just stay with Marriott (unless elder kid Marriott closed your xxx...)

Make sense?
Yes, to me it make sense now and I can understand Hilton's decision.
I understand also you are frustrated but if you pose and think about the opening post and all bits of information that you subsequently added, you may also understand why Hilton took this step.
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Old Sep 26, 2017, 2:25 pm
  #142  
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Originally Posted by Zoe Tse
Sirs and madams, as said
1. No complaint in public media
2. Can't attached links here

As said, even I post complaint to TripAdvisor for SPG/Marriott group, they will be appreciate but not angry. It is normal response for an international hotel group.

It is no idea about why a service provider can act as a princess.
I honestly dont kow who feels being a princess.

Please drop the Inno-tech world stuff - you cannot expect other industries opt for your "standards" nor to force they act by your "standards."

The way I see it, you took the status matches to gain the Diamond benefits, which include enhanced earnings and such, TWICE.

You used 2 accounts to buy points to the maximum allowed amount. Then you pooled the points together so you could more effectively use them. Otherwise I could not think of WHY you pooled points at the first place. Why not booked the hotel in the boyfriend's account? May be you were feeling his account could be in danger so you tried to preserve those points by pooling them to your account?

By now you should see WHY HHonors shuts you down - your sole purposes of opening new accounts are to be able to purchase pts so with the unique situation where the hotel rates are low, it is an effectively way to reduce the stay costs via points even the points costed money to buy. That arbitration alone by itself, is not a violation.

The violation is you circumvent the yearly cap of point purchases by pooling the points. With a new account, that has status match, it would trigger review. The so-called "complaints" are just a front to give you an excuse, though it apparently is not without merit.

You revenue stays were low value, yet you have gotten 80K compensation including something like 30K from a DT? (dont feel like spend time to scroll back just from the memory from previous reading).

I have missed it, what was the background you got 30K compensation from the DT? and another sizable compensation?

All in all, the "courtesy points" account for 1/3 or close to 1/2 of your total account balance - that is A LOT.

No hotel chains want a customer in your profile, regardless how you try to sugarcoat your "motives" that you love Hilton and wants it to improve... Really BS.

On top of that, your post cited below seems to imply that you are afraid your Marriott accounts can be shut down so you want a back up hotel chain...

Originally Posted by Zoe Tse
So if you have a baby hilton in April and did not like hilton why do it again in July and keep teaching Hilton and buy Honors cloths when you have elder kid Marriott?
Just stay with Marriott (unless elder kid Marriott closed your xxx...)

Make sense?
What makes you feel your elder kid Marriott account is endangered to be closed? Some same questionable behaviors that you suspect would trigger that? I am sure the thread readers would like to hear.
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Last edited by Happy; Sep 26, 2017 at 2:35 pm
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Old Sep 26, 2017, 3:40 pm
  #143  
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Originally Posted by Zoe Tse
2. We buy points as points is a great choice for cat 1 2 hotels


http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28831902-post98.html

Seems pretty obvious why Hilton Honors is uninterested in your custom; high number of complaints yielding in points (80k in 5 months, by your own admission), you're buying points and consolidating between accounts in a way that you'd be able to have a year or more of rooms in Cat1/Cat2 hotels.
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Old Sep 26, 2017, 4:41 pm
  #144  
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Even the OP made it clear that the reason for account closure was not the complaints, it was the violation of the t&c (which now seems clear). The volume of complaints was simply mentioned as a reason not to retain OP as a customer (or at least an HH member).

That seems fair. If OP had been a 20-year member with a large spend and engaged in some minor transgression, perhaps HH lets that go. But, not OP.
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Old Sep 26, 2017, 5:07 pm
  #145  
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
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Originally Posted by Often1
Even the OP made it clear that the reason for account closure was not the complaints, it was the violation of the t&c (which now seems clear). The volume of complaints was simply mentioned as a reason not to retain OP as a customer (or at least an HH member).

That seems fair. If OP had been a 20-year member with a large spend and engaged in some minor transgression, perhaps HH lets that go. But, not OP.
That's only the OP's opinion. The hotel chain will give one reason, but there are likely mulptiple

It's like applying for a loan at the bank. You get declined. You ask why. They say something like "your debts are too high'. In fact there may be 5 other reasons behind the decline, but no use insulting the declined applicant with a barrage of other reasons.

I am sure the complaints did not help and may have been the tipping point.
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Old Sep 26, 2017, 5:17 pm
  #146  
 
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This has nothing to do with the OP, but just wondering.

If Hilton lets you buy points.

And Hilton lets you pool points.

Why is it a violation of the T&C's to do both?
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Old Sep 26, 2017, 5:31 pm
  #147  
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Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 24
Originally Posted by docbert
So to summarize, you had 2 accounts that each purchased the maximum number of points allowed in a year, and then consolidated those points into a single account.

Thus you've got one account that has (in effect) purchased more points than is allowed in a single year. And where those purchases were done in a way that (apparently) deliberately circumvented the rules (purchased in 2 separate accounts and then merged into one)

Hilton closed your account due to this breach of T&C.

Notice that I have failed to mention anything about your "reviews" above? There's a reason for that... Whilst it's certainly possible any negative reviews might have had an impact on Hilton reversing their decision to close your accounts, I would be fairly certain it had nothing to do with your accounts being closed in the first place.
I have none purchase points and thus my boyfriend want to transfer me 30000 only. All transactions, complaints and pool points are being to my boyfriend. I did nothing but account closed.
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Old Sep 26, 2017, 5:39 pm
  #148  
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We see this over and over again. Someone comes on here and says X closed my account and took all my points/miles for no reason. After pages and pages of posts usually the OP either disappears or comes clean to what they really did. Hotels/Airlines don't just close accounts for no reason. Something caused them to close it. Whether this OP will come clean with ALL the details is the question of the day.
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Old Sep 26, 2017, 5:46 pm
  #149  
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Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 24
Originally Posted by Happy
I honestly dont kow who feels being a princess.

Please drop the Inno-tech world stuff - you cannot expect other industries opt for your "standards" nor to force they act by your "standards."

The way I see it, you took the status matches to gain the Diamond benefits, which include enhanced earnings and such, TWICE.

You used 2 accounts to buy points to the maximum allowed amount. Then you pooled the points together so you could more effectively use them. Otherwise I could not think of WHY you pooled points at the first place. Why not booked the hotel in the boyfriend's account? May be you were feeling his account could be in danger so you tried to preserve those points by pooling them to your account?

By now you should see WHY HHonors shuts you down - your sole purposes of opening new accounts are to be able to purchase pts so with the unique situation where the hotel rates are low, it is an effectively way to reduce the stay costs via points even the points costed money to buy. That arbitration alone by itself, is not a violation.

The violation is you circumvent the yearly cap of point purchases by pooling the points. With a new account, that has status match, it would trigger review. The so-called "complaints" are just a front to give you an excuse, though it apparently is not without merit.

You revenue stays were low value, yet you have gotten 80K compensation including something like 30K from a DT? (dont feel like spend time to scroll back just from the memory from previous reading).

I have missed it, what was the background you got 30K compensation from the DT? and another sizable compensation?

All in all, the "courtesy points" account for 1/3 or close to 1/2 of your total account balance - that is A LOT.

No hotel chains want a customer in your profile, regardless how you try to sugarcoat your "motives" that you love Hilton and wants it to improve... Really BS.

On top of that, your post cited below seems to imply that you are afraid your Marriott accounts can be shut down so you want a back up hotel chain...



What makes you feel your elder kid Marriott account is endangered to be closed? Some same questionable behaviors that you suspect would trigger that? I am sure the thread readers would like to hear.
It is not my words. I just refill wordings for you better understanding how silly for that post.

I have Marriott and SPG platinum over years. No one act like Hilton will close account suddenly. No idea why some of you looping on putting strange activities on us. Why hilton provide matching program? Do you think that it is no sense on that program?

​​​​​​ I have done nothing about purchase points. Why Hilton account closed by mistake and Marriott/SPG will be closed? What kind of thinking logic it is?

Inno-tech is not a industry anymore. It is an attitude to all industries. I have no ability to make you understand "review", but you may understand when you being mature.

Originally Posted by Baze
We see this over and over again. Someone comes on here and says X closed my account and took all my points/miles for no reason. After pages and pages of posts usually the OP either disappears or comes clean to what they really did. Hotels/Airlines don't just close accounts for no reason. Something caused them to close it. Whether this OP will come clean with ALL the details is the question of the day.
It is nothing new. Just most of replies guessed sth left behind and redirected the aim.

Can all of us just make an assumption, Hilton closed an account by mistake. What can a consumer to do to protect their interest?

Thanks a lot.

Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; Oct 6, 2017 at 7:34 pm Reason: merge consecutive posts
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Old Sep 26, 2017, 6:28 pm
  #150  
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Originally Posted by Eujeanie
This has nothing to do with the OP, but just wondering.

If Hilton lets you buy points.

And Hilton lets you pool points.

Why is it a violation of the T&C's to do both?
Normally it should not be.

Nobody knows the WHOLE story other than the continuous babbling of the Inno-tech, and how they want Hilton to improve because they love Hilton so very much else they would not give feed back...

Bottom line - if you are walking the tight rope in the gray area, the last thing you want to do is to bring human eyes to lay on your account and an audit followed. We do not know what triggered an audit but an audit would not be randomly performed unless an account being flagged - be it by system or by human. May be those properties who had to hand out a total of 80k compensation felt they were being taken, and asked the HHonor to investigate ... So an audit turned out things HHonors did not like and decided to fire the customers.

Last edited by Happy; Sep 26, 2017 at 6:36 pm
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