Beware Terms and Conditions Authorizes RewardsNetwork to Assess Fees!
Dec 17, 2015, 10:46 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 1
Beware Terms and Conditions Authorizes RewardsNetwork to Assess Fees!
Burried deep in Terms and Conditions it says "22. You agree to pay us any fees (including membership fees) that we charge, from time to time, in connection with the Program (“Fees”), along with all applicable taxes thereon. We may pay fees or provide compensation to Third Party Providers and others with respect to your participation in a Program."
I called them
RewardsNetwork: we don't charge fees.
Me: Yes, but you can decide to at any point.
RewardsNetwork: Yes, but we would email you first
Me: where is that in the terms and conditions
RewardsNetwork: It's not, but trust me, we would.
They force you to register a credit card, so it seems to me that this could turn into a nasty scam at any point. I doubt they would do it as long as they are affiliated with the American Airlines Miles Program, but if that relationship dissolves? Not sure I am signing up.
I called them
RewardsNetwork: we don't charge fees.
Me: Yes, but you can decide to at any point.
RewardsNetwork: Yes, but we would email you first
Me: where is that in the terms and conditions
RewardsNetwork: It's not, but trust me, we would.
They force you to register a credit card, so it seems to me that this could turn into a nasty scam at any point. I doubt they would do it as long as they are affiliated with the American Airlines Miles Program, but if that relationship dissolves? Not sure I am signing up.
Last edited by Moderator2; Dec 17, 2015 at 4:37 pm Reason: add an icon
Dec 17, 2015, 8:38 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: AA EXP, DL-Plat, WN-CP | Hotels: Choice-Gld, IHG-Plt, Rad-Gld, HH-Dia, Hyatt-Glob, Marriott-LtPlt
Posts: 2,889
They force you to register a credit card, so it seems to me that this could turn into a nasty scam at any point. I doubt they would do it as long as they are affiliated with the American Airlines Miles Program, but if that relationship dissolves? Not sure I am signing up.
Dec 18, 2015, 9:57 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: SoCal; DO-RAGS: Old Gold tagged, PIP, LatPass 1/2, AA 4MM, HH LT Diamond, Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, Omni
Posts: 9,180
Maybe a remnant from the cash rebate side of business. AFAIK there is, or was, an annual fee associated with cash back. Charging a fee for the miles' side of RN's business will kill them off.
Dec 20, 2015, 10:52 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
http://www.rewardsnetwork.com/earn/
I can't find a subprogram on their site that currently has an annual fee. But it seems that the cashback iDine subprogram has a lower cashback amount (topped out at 15%) than I remember it having when it had an annual fee, so it could be that they're experimenting back and forth with a program here or there (always with richer rewards than normal) that they might want to charge an annual fee for.
But not only don't they take the expiration date or the name on the card (there's no problem in my experience in registering a card that doesn't have the RN account holder's name on it), they let you register at least a dozen cards (at least in the airline dining programs). So which card would they bill? Obviously, they have to ask you which card to bill any annual fee for, get the expiration date, and get the name on the card (and maybe even a billing address, which again could be different than the mailing address you have on file at Rewards Network).
I can't find a subprogram on their site that currently has an annual fee. But it seems that the cashback iDine subprogram has a lower cashback amount (topped out at 15%) than I remember it having when it had an annual fee, so it could be that they're experimenting back and forth with a program here or there (always with richer rewards than normal) that they might want to charge an annual fee for.
But not only don't they take the expiration date or the name on the card (there's no problem in my experience in registering a card that doesn't have the RN account holder's name on it), they let you register at least a dozen cards (at least in the airline dining programs). So which card would they bill? Obviously, they have to ask you which card to bill any annual fee for, get the expiration date, and get the name on the card (and maybe even a billing address, which again could be different than the mailing address you have on file at Rewards Network).
Last edited by sdsearch; Dec 22, 2015 at 1:57 pm Reason: spelling
Dec 20, 2015, 4:03 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SF CA USA. I love large faceless corporations. And they cherish me in return (sometimes). ;)
Programs: UA Premier Gold/disappointed 1MM, HH Gold, IHG Plat, MB Gold, BW Diam Sel
Posts: 17,575
In the unlikely event that they suddenly started to charge you a fee without any warning, and actually managed to do so, it seems obvious that you could 1) challenge the credit card charge with the bank/card provider and/or 2) cancel your RN membership.