hhoope01

Note that Marriott allows you to have a security code protected account. This means that before someone can pull points from your account like this, they would have needed to get that security code. I would assume your wife's brother wouldn't know what the code is and thus the hotel wouldn't have been able to extend the stay using points.

You would need to call MR up and ask for your account to be security protected. From that point on anytime you call in to order an award, even if the agent has verified who you are, they won't be able to pull the points unless you can give them that code. (My understanding is they can't see the code and will just put it in when you give it to them. So its not a case of an agent forgetting to ask about the code. Its a case of their system won't let them pull the points unless you give them the code.)

CJKatl

I didn't realize the passcode was even optional. I thought it was automatic.

hhoope01

Maybe things have changed, but I thought I had to call MR and set up the passcode protection. (Or as is possible, my faulty memory is causing me problems again. )

Often1

Tons of threads about people who booked rooms for others and the others incurred charges, trashed the place, smoked, emptied the mini-bar, etc.

First rule is to ask yourself whether this is a person to whom you would provide your CC or a key to your house for use when you're not home. Unless the answer to both is "yes," don't do it.

Now, you either don't mention it and eat it and resent the guy, or you collect from it, he thinks you are chear and he resents you.

Want to do something nice for him, give him a gift card. When it hits $0, it's only useful to jimmy car doors.

CPRich

So you have no problems with Marriott redeeming point without the pointholder's knowledge?

To me, this is completely Marriott's fault. They should return the points, not bill anyone, and close the case, IMO.

CJKatl

If someone were to access your bank account and take money without permission, the bank would require you sign an affidavit so that they can prosecute before the bank would refund the money. It seems similar here. If the OP thinks this is fraud, then the OP has to allow Marriott to recoup its losses. If the OP doesn't think it was fraud, then the OP will have to absorb the loss.

While the hotel was definitely wrong here, the hotel was only wrong as far as it did not have policies or procedures that would keep this fraud from happening. It still took the BIL to commit the fraud, so Marriott should be able to go after him for any losses incurred.

DJ_Iceman

Count me among those who don't see how this is the hotel's fault. They've got a guest in house who asks to extend another night. If the reservation is in the OP's name (which is already wrong by extending his elite benefits to someone else, but we'll leave that aside for now) then why would they bother asking for a passcode or ID or anything else. "Hey, I'm in room 2408 and I'd like to stay another night. Can I do that?" Click, click, click... "Sure, Mr. OP, you're all set!" And if the reservation really was in the BIL's name, then I can see the same scenario with the very reasonable assumption by the front desk that the person paying for the room had been consulted and was okay with the extension.

SkiAdcock

I added the passcode to my account a few years ago, and my understanding is the same as yours. That they can't see the code & it needs to be provided.

To the OP, I'd still have the conversation with the BIL even if you eat the points. Let him know nicely that it wasn't appropriate to extend the stay using your points w/o your knowledge, he should have picked up the phone to call & ask you first, and gently explain that points aren't "free" but do have value. You could even come up w/ the #s to say in order to earn the XX points I actually had to spend YY, so free is a misnomer. BTW - it goes w/o saying don't gift him any stays in the future.

PS - get your account password-coded.

Cheers.

Teamstone

I would have a call with you and your wife talking to her brother. I'd keep it friendly and then ask how he is going to cover the 2nd night. Cash works (penny a point, retail cost of room, somewhere in between), and if he is cash poor some sort of trade. let him work it off.

Let him know that you know what he did and that family helps family and you expect it to be reciprocal.

SacTownGuy

It seems to me if the reservation was in BIL's name then it is Marriott's fault for extending the stay without your approval. I suppose BIL may have pretended he was you but in the end Marriott should be more careful about use of points. As you say they will probably charge it to credit card on the room if they give the points back.

Totally unrelated to whose fault that was your BIL sounds like a DB and you need to tell your wife to take care of this. A penny a point reimbursement. Otherwise this a$$clown will take advantage of you for the rest of the time you are married to this gal. NIP IT NOW and the jacka$$ off!

RogerD408

Funny this comes up now... I just had a 2-night point stay that I needed to extend. I stopped by the front desk on night 2 and was told they can not pull the extra points needed for the third night and I had to call MR or book another stay. OK, I was fine with that. Went back to my room, got online and booked the following night. Called the front desk with the confirmation number and she said she was checking in new guests and would call me back. No call back. Stopped by the desk in the morning (different FDC) and was told the new rez was not needed and she knew how to extend my current rez and take the extra points. She recoded by key and I was all set. Appears to have worked, second rez was canceled and there was a point pull for the extra night. Also, at no time was I asked for any password/passcode or ID!

Bottom line, you have different levels of abilities and will get different answers based upon that. Allowing a non-member to have access to member accounts is wrong. Sister should have a chat with brother, he may be thinking he was going to pay for the stay and the hotel forgot to bill his CC (or worse yet, hotel DID bill his CC AND pulled extra points).

shoreline

The guest should have been required to show ID upon check in, and with a CC in their name.

If this happened, the front desk knew it was not the member and should not have granted the extension using the members points, nor would the hotel have to extend any MR benefits to this guest.

I guess my question would be, did this occur and was the reservation made in the member's name or the correct guest name and why?

Many questions left unanswered from the OP and the hotel as well, imho.

fishernrex

I have to take the OPs side on this one. Most of my points end up with friends or family and if changes are made, Marriott has always contacted me for approval.

GGE

Sounds like, from limited info presented here, OP's BIL's reservation was in BIL's own name, as it sounds as if BIL's CC was on file as the guarantee, should points not cover all of his expenses.

IMHO, and without the info hard to tell.

If Marriott would just allow members to transfer points to family for free this could've been avoided. OP could've transferred the points for the number of nights originally intended to stay into his BIL's account and called it a day. *sigh*

stifle

The real question is whether the BIL expected to pay money for the room or misunderstood the points arrangement.