Hyatt Gift Card fraud
#16
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: USA & UK -- AA EXP 3.5MM, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Avis President's Club
Posts: 6,411
So this Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponzi_scheme
Should be expunged from the internet?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponzi_scheme
Should be expunged from the internet?
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: Marriott/SPG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 887
There are likely thousands of outstanding cards out there using this compromised numbering format, making it a cost prohibitive challenge to replace them all. Hyatt's current "return policy" is merely triage. Regardless, making it any easier to hack those by posting information in public on how to do it is at foolhardy. Think about all the time you wasted already on your own cards, now imagine the method leaking and all the other people getting screwed?
Found out it was purchased in 2008.
Hyatt's policy is pretty clear though that if not directly purchased from THEM, they are not going to help you. I managed to with persistent callbacks, find out when it was purchased, and when it was redeemed. Without a Hyatt receipt I cannot find out where it was spent.
Cardcash are so far giving me a runaround. "Well it was theoretically in your POSSESSION at the time it was spent so.....". Sending them my Hyatt bills and stay records..... well I guess their argument is I could have checked into some hotel in Paris or whatever using another Hyatt account or none at all, so what does that prove?
Takeway:
Any GC with PIN null or 0000, check balance and spend immediately.
YMMV.
I wouldn't even purchase one direct from Hyatt at this point, too much risk and hassle.
Last edited by ElPresidente; Sep 15, 2017 at 12:00 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: NJ
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, UA Silver, dirt elsewhere
Posts: 46,919
If you're within the 45 day CardCash guarantee, it shouldn't matter if they were in your possession... If they were not, there would be no need for a guarantee.
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: Marriott/SPG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 887
I WILL NOT COPY, ALTER, OR MAKE USE OF THESE CARDS.
I've spent far more time investigating this on my own than makes financial sense, because it's enlightening.
I can see how they are in a difficult spot to prove anything if both seller and buyer claim they got ripped off. I guess they can pull the money back from the seller, but what if they fight that? Cardash have no standing to investigate and sort out the facts of the matter. More importantly the manpower to fight over table scraps. The more I think about it, resale of gift cards seems a REALLY tricky business when it comes to refunds.
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: NJ
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, UA Silver, dirt elsewhere
Posts: 46,919
Most people here stopped purchasing them a while ago when Hyatt started requiring proof of purchase from them before refunding.
#23
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Sacramento
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Amtrak Select
Posts: 1,341
Just went to unload 1700. 1250 went through no problem, but one $450 card I used was down to $100.15
No help from customer service.
So bizarre. They can tell me when it was used... certainly not lined up with stays on my account.... but they either can't or won't tell me where it was used. So...... they are saying I'm a liar, that I used it. That there is no way it could be used without it in my possession even though it happens all the time to people.
Lame.
I believe I have the receipt from the actual purchase, but don't know if that'll do me any good. Thinking Safeway or Lowes.
No help from customer service.
So bizarre. They can tell me when it was used... certainly not lined up with stays on my account.... but they either can't or won't tell me where it was used. So...... they are saying I'm a liar, that I used it. That there is no way it could be used without it in my possession even though it happens all the time to people.
Lame.
I believe I have the receipt from the actual purchase, but don't know if that'll do me any good. Thinking Safeway or Lowes.
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: NJ
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, UA Silver, dirt elsewhere
Posts: 46,919
I had the actual receipt, but it was from MyPoints when they were being offered as a reward. I don't know if they'll accept a receipt from a 3rd party any longer.
#25
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Houston
Programs: AA EXP; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, UA 1.56MM (fmr UA1K)
Posts: 5,770
I too stopped buying Hyatt GCs from resellers and even Hyatt.
What I want to know is how is it that Hyatt hasn’t yet cleaned up this mess? What other retailer of its size has had in recent time such a mess with their gift cards?
It seems other retaileris have largely ‘figured out’ how to deal with GCs. How is it that Hyatt hasn’t yet? It really puts the whole operation in to question. (See second Hyatt hacking in the past two years for more evidence that something is wrong with Hyatt and security)
What I want to know is how is it that Hyatt hasn’t yet cleaned up this mess? What other retailer of its size has had in recent time such a mess with their gift cards?
It seems other retaileris have largely ‘figured out’ how to deal with GCs. How is it that Hyatt hasn’t yet? It really puts the whole operation in to question. (See second Hyatt hacking in the past two years for more evidence that something is wrong with Hyatt and security)
#28
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: between DCA and BWI
Programs: SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, UA Premier, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,652
I didn't buy them recently . Redeemed some Chase Amazon Visa points for 10 cards way back in 2016 before they devalued. Still had 4.5 cards left. Anyway, after a lot of bouncing around and HUCA, got someone who is familiar with the problem that these gift cards have and is handling it.