bhrubin

I find it quite disturbing that today I received an email from my husband’s Hyatt account indicating a check out for a 1 night stay at the HR New Orleans. Needless to say, my husband and I were quite surprised to know we’d been in New Orleans last night...since we were home together in SoCal!

The hotel now claims they made a mistake and used the wrong confirmation info to send that to the wrong guest. But we never received a check in or stay confirmation of any sort for my husband’s account. It seems pretty confusing and troubling how they could have subsequently sent a check out notice to him, therefore,

Has anything like this happened to anyone else? Should my husband be concerned about fraudulent access or fraudulent treatment by WOH or the HR New Orleans?

craigthemif

It happens, with no obvious consequence other than the guest didn't receive the e-mailed bill as intended. Presumably you have stayed at that hotel before so it has your details on file.

Kacee

It's a mistake. I've occasionally received someone else's bill. Not sure why someone would conclude this is fraud.

bhrubin

I didn’t conclude it was fraud. I merely asked if I should be concerned that it might be, because of many such incidents and warnings:

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news...ts-110314.html

https://travelcodex.com/ihg-points-s...ihg-wont-help/

http://fortune.com/2017/11/27/freque...rewards-scams/

http://mommypoints.boardingarea.com/...s-were-stolen/

We now have checked to make sure there was no fraud with or theft of points from my husband’s account—and changed/strengthened his password to be safe. So at least some good has come of this incident.

soonerfanatic

Yes you should and good for you for following up. This has happened to me as well at this property and 3 others. It is a real pain to have to research, make phone calls, and follow up on this. Also, just think of some of the legal issue you may have if something were to "happen" at said property and room.......

I have been told it is due to an internal staff matching your account info by name to the guest staying but not doing enough validation that they have the right person.

You should follow up with the GM.

joe_miami

Come on, what "legal issues" could occur because someone's WoH number got attached to a room by mistake (if that's even what happened)? It's worth a quick phone call and a password change, but let's not go overboard here.

bhrubin

If a WoH number could be wrongly attached to someone else’s reservation, it is just as possible that a credit card number and personal information attached to that WoH number could wrongly be revealed or a card wrongly charged. That ain’t so minor. And with the number of systems hacked, I’d rather not take any chances.

joe_miami

None of that is at all a "legal issue," as the other person mentioned. It's a run-of-the-mill data breach, tops.

ZBigFam

This happens to me quite often. Check out my original thread.

So I just got emailed someone else's folio...

skywalkerLAX

I've just received this email the other day:

soonerfanatic

Well, let's say there is damage to the room and at the least you have to defend the fact that you weren't really there.
Or there could be a multitude of other things......several years down the road in which the "data" is still there and not fixed.
Yes, little to actually worry about but in today's world you never know.....

bhrubin

Wow. Looks like WoH has a major technical and security glitch that needs immediate attention. I have deleted my credit card info on file with Hyatt for the time being. As an SPG loyalist, I rarely now stay with Hyatt, anyway...but I’d rather not take any chances.

Hyatt really needs to get its act together, as I’ve never had this happen with SPG or Marriott. Pretty stunning, if you ask me.

Jaimito Cartero

I’ve had this happen with IHG, Hyatt, and many other hotels. At one smaller chain, I get 1-2 emails each stay for another guest. Usually the guests last name starts with the same letter. I’ve even gotten points for IHG stays.

I’ve never had an errant charge to my credit card when I wasn’t staying.

No need to go all Chicken Little, though.

bhrubin

You’re welcome to believe that all is right with Hyatt and IHG if this happens to you repeatedly...not to mention many other hotels. But I believe it to be reflective of hotels that aren’t paying attention and don’t give much care. WoH has been a mess, and the fact that Hyatt clearly has an endemic issue with security and ID glitches reflects more of that same mess. I’ll stay away, thanks.

I’d rather be Chicken Little than a lemming who doesn’t know any better.

mahasamatman

Good attitude.