Priorityclub is locking accounts after the QUIZ Game
Feb 12, 2010, 1:49 pm
#136
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Here
Programs: Some
Posts: 79
How someone supposedly got 10K in points is over doing a 100 pts promo but most only did 1000 points or so which is reasonable and not unlike many bootleg promo's posted here. I never did any and waited to test fall-out as Raffles advises so never got burned but still to see high roller travellers given the door over petty amounts is heavy handed and reckless. I know of one fellow who had 3 accounts , did 1k each, and no problems while another never did any survey and was blocked out. IHG is irresponsible to release an uncontrolled offer in the first place as most are one try per account number.
Feb 12, 2010, 1:51 pm
#137
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 11,377
That's what I think is going on. They need to do something to stop redemptions of these erroneously-awarded points. Their IT systems clearly aren't very good, as illustrated by the initial glitch.
Feb 12, 2010, 1:52 pm
#138
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Chihuahua
Programs: SPG Plat, HHonor Diamond, Hyatt PLAT, Marriott PLat, UA 1K, AA EXP, DL PLAT, BMI Gold, Co PLAT
Posts: 1,962
The issue with this 100 point quiz was that there was a major IT/system error that placed seemingly no caps on the number of times the points could be awarded. We have at least one person admitting to racking up 10,000+ points from these 100 point postings. I would imagine there areautomated process, so maybe they had to make a bigger sweep before reviewing on a more detailed level.
The source of all of this, though, is an IT error on IHG's side. Hopefully they will learn from that.
The source of all of this, though, is an IT error on IHG's side. Hopefully they will learn from that.
Feb 12, 2010, 1:55 pm
#139
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Milano, Italy
Programs: Priority Club Rewards (IHG)
Posts: 9
An email alert?? Too simple..
The thing that amazed me is that they haven't alerted via email.
Why IHG doesn't send an email? They have our address... grrrr..
Today I called the call center in the UK and they told me it is a "random audit" but without unlocking my Account. How long will be this audit? Nobody says.. I hope it takes less time as possible
(sorry for my bad english.. I'm Italian
)
CIAO!!
Why IHG doesn't send an email? They have our address... grrrr..
Today I called the call center in the UK and they told me it is a "random audit" but without unlocking my Account. How long will be this audit? Nobody says.. I hope it takes less time as possible
(sorry for my bad english.. I'm Italian
)CIAO!!
Last edited by masteo; Feb 12, 2010 at 1:57 pm Reason: typing error
Feb 12, 2010, 2:05 pm
#140
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DFW
Programs: Marriott Life Titanium, Hilton Diamond, United Silver, DL, IHG Plat, etc.
Posts: 2,888
I had thought I was safe until I saw this post. I admit I was bad with this one too but I stayed my hand at 700 points. Something in my head clicked and thought it was taking things too far. Up until this post I was thinking I spared myself but now I'm not sure.
Overall I grant that at pragmatic level PC should probably let this go with some sort of warning and probably take the quiz points back but technically they really could just kill the account outright. (Although I must admit I would rebel and cancel all my upcoming bookings.)
Feb 12, 2010, 2:07 pm
#141
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 4
For those that filled the survey out only one time for each language, I can't imagine them taking the points away or doing anything else to your account. I mean, even though nearly all offers are considered "targetted" and not advertised to everybody, PC has always let most people sign up for any offer. This is evident in the recent triple points promo that they spread via forums, and also the fact that their promo registration page lists "chat room" and "friend" as the source for the promo.
There were some that did more than one survey per language. Some of these used a simple script to automatically complete the survey over and over get many hundreds of thousands of points just to see if they could. I don't blame PC for disabling (hopefully temporarily) all of the accounts before people redeemed millions of points for gift cards or such worth thousands of dollars.
Hopefully they will clear this all up soon.
There were some that did more than one survey per language. Some of these used a simple script to automatically complete the survey over and over get many hundreds of thousands of points just to see if they could. I don't blame PC for disabling (hopefully temporarily) all of the accounts before people redeemed millions of points for gift cards or such worth thousands of dollars.
Hopefully they will clear this all up soon.
Feb 12, 2010, 2:11 pm
#142
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Chihuahua
Programs: SPG Plat, HHonor Diamond, Hyatt PLAT, Marriott PLat, UA 1K, AA EXP, DL PLAT, BMI Gold, Co PLAT
Posts: 1,962
canceling account just because a couple of thousand loophole points doesn't make any business sense.
those 2K points worth at most $10-20 to them, but they may lose the guest forever. I am sure there is no single company will do that.
they already sent warning message by temporarily blocking the account
those 2K points worth at most $10-20 to them, but they may lose the guest forever. I am sure there is no single company will do that.
they already sent warning message by temporarily blocking the account
So is it time to try to do some sort of pre-emptive 'mea-culpa' to PC and try to get them to pull the points before the account gets hit?
I had thought I was safe until I saw this post. I admit I was bad with this one too but I stayed my hand at 700 points. Something in my head clicked and thought it was taking things too far. Up until this post I was thinking I spared myself but now I'm not sure.
Overall I grant that at pragmatic level PC should probably let this go with some sort of warning and probably take the quiz points back but technically they really could just kill the account outright. (Although I must admit I would rebel and cancel all my upcoming bookings.)
I had thought I was safe until I saw this post. I admit I was bad with this one too but I stayed my hand at 700 points. Something in my head clicked and thought it was taking things too far. Up until this post I was thinking I spared myself but now I'm not sure.
Overall I grant that at pragmatic level PC should probably let this go with some sort of warning and probably take the quiz points back but technically they really could just kill the account outright. (Although I must admit I would rebel and cancel all my upcoming bookings.)
Feb 12, 2010, 2:21 pm
#144
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Here
Programs: Some
Posts: 79
No pain here, didn't do a survey but empathize with fellow FTalkers and see it as an over reaction by IHG. soitgoes had the most balanced comments yet
From what I can see this problem is more significant now than in the past for 2 reasons.
1) IHG made a serious IT error and someone may have figured out how to drain the points bank from it. That is not your average FT points earner folks and another reason to be cautious about what you share on any public forum.
2) FT is monitored extensively now by representives from the respective programs. What you say is seen and heard and someone got a gold star for passing on your comments which is fair given "anyone" can view postings.
How IHG IT reacted is an entirely different story and some will take their marbles and play elsewhere for a while.
From what I can see this problem is more significant now than in the past for 2 reasons.
1) IHG made a serious IT error and someone may have figured out how to drain the points bank from it. That is not your average FT points earner folks and another reason to be cautious about what you share on any public forum.
2) FT is monitored extensively now by representives from the respective programs. What you say is seen and heard and someone got a gold star for passing on your comments which is fair given "anyone" can view postings.
How IHG IT reacted is an entirely different story and some will take their marbles and play elsewhere for a while.
Feb 12, 2010, 2:31 pm
#145
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Chihuahua
Programs: SPG Plat, HHonor Diamond, Hyatt PLAT, Marriott PLat, UA 1K, AA EXP, DL PLAT, BMI Gold, Co PLAT
Posts: 1,962
I think it is not an over reaction, it's they don't know what/how to react.
they r trying to figure out now
they r trying to figure out now
No pain here, didn't do a survey but empathize with fellow FTalkers and see it as an over reaction by IHG. soitgoes had the most balanced comments yet
From what I can see this problem is more significant now than in the past for 2 reasons.
1) IHG made a serious IT error and someone may have figured out how to drain the points bank from it. That is not your average FT points earner folks and another reason to be cautious about what you share on any public forum.
2) FT is monitored extensively now by representives from the respective programs. What you say is seen and heard and someone got a gold star for passing on your comments which is fair given "anyone" can view postings.
How IHG IT reacted is an entirely different story and some will take their marbles and play elsewhere for a while.
From what I can see this problem is more significant now than in the past for 2 reasons.
1) IHG made a serious IT error and someone may have figured out how to drain the points bank from it. That is not your average FT points earner folks and another reason to be cautious about what you share on any public forum.
2) FT is monitored extensively now by representives from the respective programs. What you say is seen and heard and someone got a gold star for passing on your comments which is fair given "anyone" can view postings.
How IHG IT reacted is an entirely different story and some will take their marbles and play elsewhere for a while.
Feb 12, 2010, 3:00 pm
#149
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 11,377
Are you serious? Are you real?
Does that mean 500,000 points posted to your account?!?!
It's no wonder IHG took what will probably temporary action on a large number of accounts if there are accounts like that out there!
Actually, for all those who really did just net 1-2K points from this, the existence of mega-offenders is probably actually good news. It makes the accounts with 1-2K look saintly. Clearly those users weren't trying to scam IHG--they stopped.