Jun 24, 2014, 2:19 am
Last edit by: soitgoes
IHG Account Termination Fact Summary
1) IHG has been terminating accounts due to abuse since approximately 2010 (#244).
2) IHG account terminations happen suddenly and without warning. If your account is terminated, you will not be able to login. You will have to call customer service, who will either reinstate your account and warn you, or refer your case to another office, in which case your account is probably permamently closed.
3) No one except for IHG knows exactly what the trigger for account cancellation is. The reason given is usually excessive use of promo codes. In the past, it was thought that most of the people who got their accounts canceled was due to either selling points or excessive point break bookings, but it appears that mere registration of promo codes now can sometimes trigger a cancellation.
Who has gotten their account terminated?
(If you, or someone you know has got their account terminated, please list your username here, and reference the post you made on this thread).
bgmike (#1)
lcpteck (#5)
DavidAL - father - (#85)
Dolphinyong - friend - (#155)
Bakkie (#180)
Tim O'Brien (#187) reinstated
chongcao - good summary, esp. of events from flyertea forum (#244)
soitgoes (#262) deactivated temporarily; reactivated after phone call
travelismylife - brother inlaw - (#329)
Also, LoyaltyLobby has a number of data points in the comment thread.
FlyerTea (a Chinese site) also has a number of data points.
What do we know about terminations
1) The usual reason IHG gives is non-targeted promo code usage. We don't know which promo codes IHG considers invalid, although IHG told Bakke (#180), that he used a code that was supposed to be for platinum members when he was not.
2) Status does not matter. Gold members, Platinum members, even RAs have all had their account terminated.
3) Credit card does not matter. Some people terminated did not have the IHG Chase card, some did, for more than 3 years (#329).
4) Stay history does not matter. Some people had their accounts terminated before any stay, some had their accounts terminated after one stay that accrued many points, and some had a history of lot of paid stays.
5) Termination usually doesn't cause a loss of booked nights. Apparently, even though your points are gone, any nights reserved stay booked in the system.
6) Some account terminations are caused by calling customer service on incorrectly credited nights. A number of people who had their accounts terminated called in on a stay that posted as non-qualifying, only to have their account cancelled shortly thereafter.
IHG Terms and Conditions downloadable PDF, including:
1) IHG has been terminating accounts due to abuse since approximately 2010 (#244).
2) IHG account terminations happen suddenly and without warning. If your account is terminated, you will not be able to login. You will have to call customer service, who will either reinstate your account and warn you, or refer your case to another office, in which case your account is probably permamently closed.
3) No one except for IHG knows exactly what the trigger for account cancellation is. The reason given is usually excessive use of promo codes. In the past, it was thought that most of the people who got their accounts canceled was due to either selling points or excessive point break bookings, but it appears that mere registration of promo codes now can sometimes trigger a cancellation.
Who has gotten their account terminated?
(If you, or someone you know has got their account terminated, please list your username here, and reference the post you made on this thread).
bgmike (#1)
lcpteck (#5)
DavidAL - father - (#85)
Dolphinyong - friend - (#155)
Bakkie (#180)
Tim O'Brien (#187) reinstated
chongcao - good summary, esp. of events from flyertea forum (#244)
soitgoes (#262) deactivated temporarily; reactivated after phone call
travelismylife - brother inlaw - (#329)
Also, LoyaltyLobby has a number of data points in the comment thread.
FlyerTea (a Chinese site) also has a number of data points.
What do we know about terminations
1) The usual reason IHG gives is non-targeted promo code usage. We don't know which promo codes IHG considers invalid, although IHG told Bakke (#180), that he used a code that was supposed to be for platinum members when he was not.
2) Status does not matter. Gold members, Platinum members, even RAs have all had their account terminated.
3) Credit card does not matter. Some people terminated did not have the IHG Chase card, some did, for more than 3 years (#329).
4) Stay history does not matter. Some people had their accounts terminated before any stay, some had their accounts terminated after one stay that accrued many points, and some had a history of lot of paid stays.
5) Termination usually doesn't cause a loss of booked nights. Apparently, even though your points are gone, any nights reserved stay booked in the system.
6) Some account terminations are caused by calling customer service on incorrectly credited nights. A number of people who had their accounts terminated called in on a stay that posted as non-qualifying, only to have their account cancelled shortly thereafter.
IHG Terms and Conditions downloadable PDF, including:
4. Membership Cancellation. SCH reserves the right to cancel any IHG®Rewards Club membership and revoke any and all unredeemed IHG® Rewards Club points collected by any member for reasons that include, but are not limited to: 1) violation of these Terms and Conditions; 2) misrepresentation of any information or any misuse of this Program; 3) violation of any national, state or local law or regulation in connection with the use of membership privileges; 4) failure to pay for hotel charges; 5) a check to a participating hotel brand that is returned for insufficient funds or is invalid for any reason; 6) commission of fraud or abuse involving any portion of this Program; 7) more than one active account per member; or 8) physical, verbal, or written abuse of hotel or IHG personnel; or 9) action, in any other way, to the detriment of the Program or any of its alliances; all as may be determined by SCH in its sole discretion.
IHG Account Terminated (after registering for several promotion codes)
Jul 13, 2014, 7:23 am
#451
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Montreux CH
Programs: FB Platinum, M&M FTL, BA Blue
Posts: 11,645
How are things going on the IHG front? I have followed this thread with a bit of trepidation, although I don't see why: I have never used a Best Rate Guarantee, a Points Break Stay, or a BOGO until now (surely redeeming a Points Break Stay won't get you booted??). But I have entered a few codes, not hundreds, not even dozens, but maybe 20 or so as found on this forum earlier thus year. I haven't had many extra points because of them, maybe 6,000 or so, so I suspect I am in the clear. But it is a bit scary all the same. Good luck with it all.
Jul 13, 2014, 8:02 am
#452
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: YYZ
Programs: SPG Plat,MR Plat Spire Plat/IC Amb, Choice Plat, BW Plat
Posts: 1,320
How are things going on the IHG front? I have followed this thread with a bit of trepidation, although I don't see why: I have never used a Best Rate Guarantee, a Points Break Stay, or a BOGO until now (surely redeeming a Points Break Stay won't get you booted??). But I have entered a few codes, not hundreds, not even dozens, but maybe 20 or so as found on this forum earlier thus year. I haven't had many extra points because of them, maybe 6,000 or so, so I suspect I am in the clear. But it is a bit scary all the same. Good luck with it all.
Jul 13, 2014, 10:23 am
#453
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 63
I'm still worried. I've used a lot of promo codes myself. I've got a week of points booked for first week of August. I just get this weird feeling my account is gonna get zapped that week. Hope I'm just being paranoid.
Jul 13, 2014, 10:25 am
#454
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,692
How are things going on the IHG front? I have followed this thread with a bit of trepidation, although I don't see why: I have never used a Best Rate Guarantee, a Points Break Stay, or a BOGO until now (surely redeeming a Points Break Stay won't get you booted??). But I have entered a few codes, not hundreds, not even dozens, but maybe 20 or so as found on this forum earlier thus year. I haven't had many extra points because of them, maybe 6,000 or so, so I suspect I am in the clear. But it is a bit scary all the same. Good luck with it all.
Jul 13, 2014, 12:26 pm
#455
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: LAX
Posts: 10,919
No recent shutdown reports... hopefully this madness settled down...
I would still be hesitant to call for any kind of manual agent involvement..
I would still be hesitant to call for any kind of manual agent involvement..
Jul 13, 2014, 12:50 pm
#456
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: West Coast, USA
Programs: Skywards Platinum
Posts: 3,747
i've been a IHG member since '01, have had one BRG, never had a Points Break stay, quite a few BOGOs, three reward nights, and thousands of paid suite nights, remember the codes can arrive in your email from award wallet, invitations on your award wallet account to apply codes, and also critically, made available on IHG's own endorsed website, just to add to the irony and confusion.
Jul 13, 2014, 1:28 pm
#457
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 109
So what should we do if we still have points missing from the last Big Win?
Keep quiet and just lose them?
Obviously at this stage only a manual adjustment would work. Have used a couple of codes here and there in the past.
In my case all points were posted except for the final Win Big.
Keep quiet and just lose them?
Obviously at this stage only a manual adjustment would work. Have used a couple of codes here and there in the past.
In my case all points were posted except for the final Win Big.
Jul 13, 2014, 3:29 pm
#458
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,692
So what should we do if we still have points missing from the last Big Win?
Keep quiet and just lose them?
Obviously at this stage only a manual adjustment would work. Have used a couple of codes here and there in the past.
In my case all points were posted except for the final Win Big.
Keep quiet and just lose them?
Obviously at this stage only a manual adjustment would work. Have used a couple of codes here and there in the past.
In my case all points were posted except for the final Win Big.
Jul 13, 2014, 3:34 pm
#459
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,692
I don't think you should be comparing yourself to others, as you have a very unique case. You used a BOGO nearly every week straight for one year. IHG told you that they went after you because of your excessive BOGO use, and they reinstated your account. Your case is very different to others on here.
Jul 13, 2014, 4:35 pm
#460
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
Programs: UAMP S, TK M&S E (*G), Marriott LTP, IHG P, SK EBG
Posts: 11,130
So what should we do if we still have points missing from the last Big Win?
Keep quiet and just lose them?
Obviously at this stage only a manual adjustment would work. Have used a couple of codes here and there in the past.
In my case all points were posted except for the final Win Big.
Keep quiet and just lose them?
Obviously at this stage only a manual adjustment would work. Have used a couple of codes here and there in the past.
In my case all points were posted except for the final Win Big.
Jul 13, 2014, 4:46 pm
#461
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: VPS
Programs: IHG Diamond, Delta PM, Hilton Gold, Accor Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 7,293
I had bonus points from a stacked promo code stay in early June post over this weekend. Make of it what you will.
Jul 13, 2014, 6:42 pm
#462
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,692
It depends on how 'clean' your are and how many points you have in your account IMO. If you haven't done any BRG, booked PB excessively, stack/used promo code that you are not entitled to, and that you don't have many points in your account, then you have the 'ground' to ask for your missing points.
but let's look at this factually, BRGs are an offer IHG made, your suggestion, and others, that if members took IHG up, and accepted that offer, and IHG processed, and agreed to meeting its offer, that they are therefore punished, or at least vunerable to being punished, is clearly wrong from so many perspectives, same goes for Point Breaks, and Promo Codes that IHG promoted, and advertised on it's own website, and via third parties, and if concerned, had every ability to control processing and accepting them, from a management perspective, IT, and other.
Last edited by Tim O'Brien; Jul 13, 2014 at 7:11 pm Reason: typo
Jul 13, 2014, 6:46 pm
#463
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,692
Jul 13, 2014, 8:09 pm
#464
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Wollongong
Posts: 209
It depends on how 'clean' your are and how many points you have in your account IMO. If you haven't done any BRG, booked PB excessively, stack/used promo code that you are not entitled to, and that you don't have many points in your account then you have the 'ground' to ask for your missing points.
I have just used 200 000 points on a single booking with no problems.
Just curious as I still have close to 300 000 legit points and was wondering if I should be concerned about all that is going on in this topic as I plan on using most of these again on a single booking.
Jul 13, 2014, 8:47 pm
#465
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: IHG, RC, HH, AA, QF, UA, Aeroplan
Posts: 2,692
How would having a large amount of points legitimately accrued in your account make you at risk?
I have just used 200 000 points on a single booking with no problems.
Just curious as I still have close to 300 000 legit points and was wondering if I should be concerned about all that is going on in this topic as I plan on using most of these again on a single booking.
I have just used 200 000 points on a single booking with no problems.
Just curious as I still have close to 300 000 legit points and was wondering if I should be concerned about all that is going on in this topic as I plan on using most of these again on a single booking.