WilcoRoger

Well, those points might have been purchased from IHG, they might have been accrued via credit card spend to name but two examples where they were NOT given by the merchant.

Boraxo

Agree 100% but I think OP has confirmed this was not the case here.

I think CC points should be treated like cash as you are essentially foregoing another signup offer or perhaps a cash rebate when you spend on the card. Similar for purchased points.

nacho

I live in Europe and I don't think by living in Europe we have more rights than those who live in the US.

The T&C stated clearly that if there is a dispute, State of Georgia law applies.

You can only claim something if you have physically lost something, just because they denied your BRG doesn't make you loose anything. The hassle of going through all these troubles wouldn't make you want to take legal action.

notahappycamper

Still nothing from IHG to communicate the steps they took and why.
I have done another 8 successful BRGs for family members. I've also opened up a new IHG acct. using my 2nd home's address and plan to use it to exploit IHG anytime I can. Most importantly I feel really good about my closure.
Having less IHG stays has made me happier too. Hilton (diamond there), Marriott (platinum there almost lt plat), SPG (platinum there almost lt gold), Club Carlson (gold there) are all so much better- no 5k point redemption values but I frequent quite a few 10k Hilton and 7500 Marriott and SPG 4k redemptions. Also, 2 night Club Carlson redemptions with last night free from cc are pretty sweet too.

So I'll miss out on my Big Win offer and some pointbreaks but I'm pretty happy to not be staying in any Holiday Inns or Candlewoods or Indigos (cheap Ikea designs), I really only miss Intercontinentals and some Crowne Plazas.

Wan1dap

Good to know they made the right decision.

scubaccr

It is attitudes and use of the IHG BRG scheme this way that lead to IHG having to add all the onerous restrictions to stop a very small minority exploiting/milking the BRG scheme to death.

To quote you verbatim...
"I've also opened up a new IHG acct. using my 2nd home's address and plan to use it to exploit IHG anytime I can. "

One hopes the second account is noticed after you make several expensive stays, and IHG retrospectively bill your credit card to reclaim any cheated hotel costs. Like IHG I would not want you for a customer either.

Like many others on FT, I am sure the reason your account was deleted was because you were already exploiting IHG and got caugh. Other FTers have made many claims without breaking/manipulating the rules and IHG do not mind the many claims.

sch7458

I'm not frequent to IHG hotels and to be honest it's disgraceful that they did the devaluation to Iberia Plus recently.

(...)

notahappycamper

Nice to feel the love. (...) I am not one to stand down from an attack. I never once violated one t&c b/f IHG closed down my account without any discussion or warning. I now feel nothing but contempt for IHG. (...) From their crappy site, to their unhelpful csrs (...), to their emails in broken English, to their worthless elite status benefits, to in-communicative program directors, to their mostly mediocre hotels, (...) . Get points from cc and signup for promo codes in the IHG Mater Promo List and then burn them all on Pointbreaks or Flashsales. If everybody would just be a little honest they'd agree that's pretty much the only purpose of IHG. A program to position yourself to stay at hotels you actually want to stay at or a layover on a mileage run. Of course all the IHG apologists will never admit to that. Just like a crack addict that thinks he's got it all under control.

sch7458

Then I don't see why you or your family should stay there. Customer with mentalities like "ow, the hotels are mediocre, or a chain with crappy site - so they're obliged to give me free nights as many as possible" worth just less than 0. Everybody's here stays at IHG only on purpose.

Wan1dap

So stop posting here and go to the forums of those other wonderful hotel chains. We'll all be better off.

chrism20

I couldn't put it better myself. Anyone who works in business/management can understand the IHG response to this behaviour.

Often1

Two observations:

1. What kind of person feels the way OP does about a business and then subjects his family to it?

2. IHG will catch up to the latest wire fraud soon enough. UA just shut down a stack of accounts for scammer conduct. They've all got sophisticated software which will sooner catch out a mistake with a CC billing address, DL, or off-hand comment.

notahappycamper

1. Post was pretty clear- for mileage runs or other such positioning nights. Mediocre is mediocre but free is free. One night free at IC Miami and a CP in DC is not such a bad thing. Just keeping 20+ email accts going for each family member and friend. No more pms please, I don't intend to help random people.

2. I am based in Columbus OH, my family lives in or near Tulsa, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Buffalo. My last name starts with an S. Let them track me down. Maybe they can get Snowden on the case.

fireworksboy

I've tried to view my miles/points outlook thru the following lens - "pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered". It's treated me well so far.

FLYGVA

I think, this thread has all details in it and there is currently nothing new added and the discussiuon is drifting more and more to a personal level.

For this reason, I am going to close this thread.

FLYGVA
co-moderator IHG Forum