Grand Slam 2010 'OutSourcing'
Sep 27, 2010, 2:22 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Cleveland
Programs: AF/KLM Plat For Life/UA Million Miler-PremEx For Life/SPG Gold
Posts: 5,054
Grand Slam 2010 'OutSourcing'
I have 5 family members that I would like to target the 36 hits, but I just don't have the time.
If there is a GS2010 expert that can offer a 'turnkey' service to execute the necessary hits on our behalf, since there is no exchange of miles/points, I would hope that offering to pay for this service would be within TOS!
So, PM or email if you would like to be my 'surrogate' GS2010er!
To make it worth your while, I probably could hunt down a few relatives and friends as well. And my guess is that some fellow FTers might find this service most convenient and attractive!
If there is a GS2010 expert that can offer a 'turnkey' service to execute the necessary hits on our behalf, since there is no exchange of miles/points, I would hope that offering to pay for this service would be within TOS!
So, PM or email if you would like to be my 'surrogate' GS2010er!
To make it worth your while, I probably could hunt down a few relatives and friends as well. And my guess is that some fellow FTers might find this service most convenient and attractive!
Sep 27, 2010, 5:15 am
#2
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Fairport, NY
Posts: 195
Come on
Can the "Turnkey" fly the miles gained for you too?
ralph
ralph
Sep 27, 2010, 5:48 am
#4
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: CHA/TYS
Programs: The Mac Daddy of Heimlich County (and low-ball status)
Posts: 2,868
4300 posts and you submit this? even when there's already a thread with this promo??
Sep 27, 2010, 6:07 am
#5
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: Gold, plat, diamond and more
Posts: 3,360
I would be interested in outsourcing for a few accts as well.
Im BTW already doing it on lower scale on my own acct.
I guess both me and OP are willing to pay/trade extras for the service.
The taker will probably get loads of freebies as well (cars, hotels, wine? etc)
Pls PM as well.
Sep 27, 2010, 9:32 am
#6
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: CAE,AGS
Programs: AAExP, Hyatt Globalist, HHonors Gold, IHG Spire, Marriott Plat
Posts: 3,124
Wel, time involved not withstanding, how would one manage to get around the credit card issues - pretty much everything has to be charged in one way or another. Just a thought....
Sep 27, 2010, 9:51 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: US-CP, UA, Marriott Rewards, HHonors, Avis,
Posts: 4,549
Forgive me if I'm just being unimaginative but how could this be made to work? Of course you can give someone your credit card number and ask them to order you some Biscoffs, but for hotels and cars, your name has to be on the reservation to get the credit. So if I hire someone to go stay in the Hilton for me, they won't be able to credit the miles to MY us account. It'd have to go to theirs. Unless you can hire someone with the exact same name as yours....
eRewards and eMiles surely have something in their ToS regarding who is allowed to take the surveys so theoretically you can hand over your passwords and let someone do them for you but you do run the risk of having the hits taken back if either survey vendor decides that the person who filled it out is not the person who was supposed to.
So that leaves shopping and even going after the low-dollar items, there's going to be a fair amount of cost incurred. Wouldn't it be just easier to buy the miles outright at that point, rather than trusting a stranger with your card details and paying for a bunch of stickers you'll never use?
eRewards and eMiles surely have something in their ToS regarding who is allowed to take the surveys so theoretically you can hand over your passwords and let someone do them for you but you do run the risk of having the hits taken back if either survey vendor decides that the person who filled it out is not the person who was supposed to.
So that leaves shopping and even going after the low-dollar items, there's going to be a fair amount of cost incurred. Wouldn't it be just easier to buy the miles outright at that point, rather than trusting a stranger with your card details and paying for a bunch of stickers you'll never use?
Sep 27, 2010, 10:13 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Cleveland
Programs: AF/KLM Plat For Life/UA Million Miler-PremEx For Life/SPG Gold
Posts: 5,054
Sep 27, 2010, 10:16 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Cleveland
Programs: AF/KLM Plat For Life/UA Million Miler-PremEx For Life/SPG Gold
Posts: 5,054
Forgive me if I'm just being unimaginative but how could this be made to work? Of course you can give someone your credit card number and ask them to order you some Biscoffs, but for hotels and cars, your name has to be on the reservation to get the credit. So if I hire someone to go stay in the Hilton for me, they won't be able to credit the miles to MY us account. It'd have to go to theirs. Unless you can hire someone with the exact same name as yours....
eRewards and eMiles surely have something in their ToS regarding who is allowed to take the surveys so theoretically you can hand over your passwords and let someone do them for you but you do run the risk of having the hits taken back if either survey vendor decides that the person who filled it out is not the person who was supposed to.
So that leaves shopping and even going after the low-dollar items, there's going to be a fair amount of cost incurred. Wouldn't it be just easier to buy the miles outright at that point, rather than trusting a stranger with your card details and paying for a bunch of stickers you'll never use?
eRewards and eMiles surely have something in their ToS regarding who is allowed to take the surveys so theoretically you can hand over your passwords and let someone do them for you but you do run the risk of having the hits taken back if either survey vendor decides that the person who filled it out is not the person who was supposed to.
So that leaves shopping and even going after the low-dollar items, there's going to be a fair amount of cost incurred. Wouldn't it be just easier to buy the miles outright at that point, rather than trusting a stranger with your card details and paying for a bunch of stickers you'll never use?
You can book hotels under TWO names- mine and yours under one reservation. You arrive first, stay still credited to my account.
Not worried about ERewards/emiles TOS.
Srrvice executor can keep everything that is bought.
Sep 27, 2010, 10:20 am
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: Gold, plat, diamond and more
Posts: 3,360
Lots of loopholes to get miles on behalf of others. I guess thats why Beaubo searched for someone knowledgeable.
Rent cars, provide others US DM number, rent hotels in one name, prepaid, another guest checking in, get hotel points and transfers by eating etc.
Rent cars, provide others US DM number, rent hotels in one name, prepaid, another guest checking in, get hotel points and transfers by eating etc.
Sep 27, 2010, 11:23 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,392
OK, so read this.
This guy is looking at spending ~$400... but he a) already has 6 hotel stays lined up, and b) he has the ability to transfer points from four different hotel loyalty programs- so he starts out with 10 hits before he has to buy anything. Figure if this wasn't the case, he'd be looking at something more like $800+ for more expensive hits + hotel stays (and that's fairly conservative- 6 hotel nights at $50 each, all-in is $300).
You can BUY 100,000 US miles for just under $1400. So you're maybe looking at saving a few hundred dollars. That's not much of a margin for someone else to make money doing GS hits for you.
IMO, chasing after GS hits isn't worth it unless you can do it fairly efficiently (meaning: you have hotel stays and car rentals you would have made anyway). Adding a third party just adds overhead. My goal is to get as many hits for as cheap as I can, and not sweat getting to 36/100K if it means I have to shell much out of pocket, since buying miles is fairly easy, and if there's a wintertime share miles promotion, having some miles loaded up in an account makes swapping miles A->B->A pretty lucrative for the awards that cost more than 100K (and takes the cost per mile even lower, making the difference between chasing after GS hits and swapping miles even smaller).
The other thing to consider is that US is pretty damned aggressive at shooting first, asking questions later when it comes to suspected fraud (as a search in this forum will show you). This is exactly the kind of thing that could set off fraud alerts when someone audits. Is it worth risking a locked account and having to argue with US just to save a few hundred dollars?
This guy is looking at spending ~$400... but he a) already has 6 hotel stays lined up, and b) he has the ability to transfer points from four different hotel loyalty programs- so he starts out with 10 hits before he has to buy anything. Figure if this wasn't the case, he'd be looking at something more like $800+ for more expensive hits + hotel stays (and that's fairly conservative- 6 hotel nights at $50 each, all-in is $300).
You can BUY 100,000 US miles for just under $1400. So you're maybe looking at saving a few hundred dollars. That's not much of a margin for someone else to make money doing GS hits for you.
IMO, chasing after GS hits isn't worth it unless you can do it fairly efficiently (meaning: you have hotel stays and car rentals you would have made anyway). Adding a third party just adds overhead. My goal is to get as many hits for as cheap as I can, and not sweat getting to 36/100K if it means I have to shell much out of pocket, since buying miles is fairly easy, and if there's a wintertime share miles promotion, having some miles loaded up in an account makes swapping miles A->B->A pretty lucrative for the awards that cost more than 100K (and takes the cost per mile even lower, making the difference between chasing after GS hits and swapping miles even smaller).
The other thing to consider is that US is pretty damned aggressive at shooting first, asking questions later when it comes to suspected fraud (as a search in this forum will show you). This is exactly the kind of thing that could set off fraud alerts when someone audits. Is it worth risking a locked account and having to argue with US just to save a few hundred dollars?
Sep 27, 2010, 11:46 am
#12
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Saigon/Hanoi/San Francisco
Posts: 1,779
OK, so read this.
This guy is looking at spending ~$400... but he a) already has 6 hotel stays lined up, and b) he has the ability to transfer points from four different hotel loyalty programs- so he starts out with 10 hits before he has to buy anything. Figure if this wasn't the case, he'd be looking at something more like $800+ for more expensive hits + hotel stays (and that's fairly conservative- 6 hotel nights at $50 each, all-in is $300).
You can BUY 100,000 US miles for just under $1400. So you're maybe looking at saving a few hundred dollars. That's not much of a margin for someone else to make money doing GS hits for you.
IMO, chasing after GS hits isn't worth it unless you can do it fairly efficiently (meaning: you have hotel stays and car rentals you would have made anyway). Adding a third party just adds overhead. My goal is to get as many hits for as cheap as I can, and not sweat getting to 36/100K if it means I have to shell much out of pocket, since buying miles is fairly easy, and if there's a wintertime share miles promotion, having some miles loaded up in an account makes swapping miles A->B->A pretty lucrative for the awards that cost more than 100K (and takes the cost per mile even lower, making the difference between chasing after GS hits and swapping miles even smaller).
The other thing to consider is that US is pretty damned aggressive at shooting first, asking questions later when it comes to suspected fraud (as a search in this forum will show you). This is exactly the kind of thing that could set off fraud alerts when someone audits. Is it worth risking a locked account and having to argue with US just to save a few hundred dollars?
This guy is looking at spending ~$400... but he a) already has 6 hotel stays lined up, and b) he has the ability to transfer points from four different hotel loyalty programs- so he starts out with 10 hits before he has to buy anything. Figure if this wasn't the case, he'd be looking at something more like $800+ for more expensive hits + hotel stays (and that's fairly conservative- 6 hotel nights at $50 each, all-in is $300).
You can BUY 100,000 US miles for just under $1400. So you're maybe looking at saving a few hundred dollars. That's not much of a margin for someone else to make money doing GS hits for you.
IMO, chasing after GS hits isn't worth it unless you can do it fairly efficiently (meaning: you have hotel stays and car rentals you would have made anyway). Adding a third party just adds overhead. My goal is to get as many hits for as cheap as I can, and not sweat getting to 36/100K if it means I have to shell much out of pocket, since buying miles is fairly easy, and if there's a wintertime share miles promotion, having some miles loaded up in an account makes swapping miles A->B->A pretty lucrative for the awards that cost more than 100K (and takes the cost per mile even lower, making the difference between chasing after GS hits and swapping miles even smaller).
The other thing to consider is that US is pretty damned aggressive at shooting first, asking questions later when it comes to suspected fraud (as a search in this forum will show you). This is exactly the kind of thing that could set off fraud alerts when someone audits. Is it worth risking a locked account and having to argue with US just to save a few hundred dollars?
Sep 27, 2010, 11:57 am
#13
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: Gold, plat, diamond and more
Posts: 3,360
I dont fear audits on this as long as all hits are done within the T&Cs.
Check the GS thread to see how popular this promotion is. That means quite many consider it worth the time and spending, even with the current 100% promo. Remember that promo has a limit. GS and buy promo combined might be even better.
There are definately some (OP and me included) that are willing to "pay" for the service. And I would guess that there should be quite some willing to do it, adding their own family accts for hundreds of Ks with miles.
Quite some of the guys doing the GS for a bunch of family already, could easily do 10 extra accounts, gaining maybe a PC Bogo or something from each.
It alle depends on no-show possibilities/ beeing second person on reservation for cars and hotels. And on where the person doing the job lives.
AS mentioned in the main GS thread there are tons of hotels below 30$, and also car rentals down to 15$. Some hotel transfers are easy (like SPG, and Radisson), while others would be worth buying (like PC, Hyatt, Choice).
If you can get to 32 hits/80k, or possibly even to 36 hits, you can see yourself saving maybe 50% of the already 50% = 700$, and add your family for a total of 5x 700$ saving. Running 10-30 GS runs could be done efficiently via spreadsheets and focus.
Check the GS thread to see how popular this promotion is. That means quite many consider it worth the time and spending, even with the current 100% promo. Remember that promo has a limit. GS and buy promo combined might be even better.
There are definately some (OP and me included) that are willing to "pay" for the service. And I would guess that there should be quite some willing to do it, adding their own family accts for hundreds of Ks with miles.
Quite some of the guys doing the GS for a bunch of family already, could easily do 10 extra accounts, gaining maybe a PC Bogo or something from each.
It alle depends on no-show possibilities/ beeing second person on reservation for cars and hotels. And on where the person doing the job lives.
AS mentioned in the main GS thread there are tons of hotels below 30$, and also car rentals down to 15$. Some hotel transfers are easy (like SPG, and Radisson), while others would be worth buying (like PC, Hyatt, Choice).
If you can get to 32 hits/80k, or possibly even to 36 hits, you can see yourself saving maybe 50% of the already 50% = 700$, and add your family for a total of 5x 700$ saving. Running 10-30 GS runs could be done efficiently via spreadsheets and focus.
Sep 27, 2010, 11:57 am
#14
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
Agree, if without hotels stays and some other necessary hits, I wouldn't bother to hit 36
OK, so read this.
This guy is looking at spending ~$400... but he a) already has 6 hotel stays lined up, and b) he has the ability to transfer points from four different hotel loyalty programs- so he starts out with 10 hits before he has to buy anything. Figure if this wasn't the case, he'd be looking at something more like $800+ for more expensive hits + hotel stays (and that's fairly conservative- 6 hotel nights at $50 each, all-in is $300).
You can BUY 100,000 US miles for just under $1400. So you're maybe looking at saving a few hundred dollars. That's not much of a margin for someone else to make money doing GS hits for you.
IMO, chasing after GS hits isn't worth it unless you can do it fairly efficiently (meaning: you have hotel stays and car rentals you would have made anyway). Adding a third party just adds overhead. My goal is to get as many hits for as cheap as I can, and not sweat getting to 36/100K if it means I have to shell much out of pocket, since buying miles is fairly easy, and if there's a wintertime share miles promotion, having some miles loaded up in an account makes swapping miles A->B->A pretty lucrative for the awards that cost more than 100K (and takes the cost per mile even lower, making the difference between chasing after GS hits and swapping miles even smaller).
The other thing to consider is that US is pretty damned aggressive at shooting first, asking questions later when it comes to suspected fraud (as a search in this forum will show you). This is exactly the kind of thing that could set off fraud alerts when someone audits. Is it worth risking a locked account and having to argue with US just to save a few hundred dollars?
This guy is looking at spending ~$400... but he a) already has 6 hotel stays lined up, and b) he has the ability to transfer points from four different hotel loyalty programs- so he starts out with 10 hits before he has to buy anything. Figure if this wasn't the case, he'd be looking at something more like $800+ for more expensive hits + hotel stays (and that's fairly conservative- 6 hotel nights at $50 each, all-in is $300).
You can BUY 100,000 US miles for just under $1400. So you're maybe looking at saving a few hundred dollars. That's not much of a margin for someone else to make money doing GS hits for you.
IMO, chasing after GS hits isn't worth it unless you can do it fairly efficiently (meaning: you have hotel stays and car rentals you would have made anyway). Adding a third party just adds overhead. My goal is to get as many hits for as cheap as I can, and not sweat getting to 36/100K if it means I have to shell much out of pocket, since buying miles is fairly easy, and if there's a wintertime share miles promotion, having some miles loaded up in an account makes swapping miles A->B->A pretty lucrative for the awards that cost more than 100K (and takes the cost per mile even lower, making the difference between chasing after GS hits and swapping miles even smaller).
The other thing to consider is that US is pretty damned aggressive at shooting first, asking questions later when it comes to suspected fraud (as a search in this forum will show you). This is exactly the kind of thing that could set off fraud alerts when someone audits. Is it worth risking a locked account and having to argue with US just to save a few hundred dollars?
Sep 27, 2010, 3:37 pm
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,392
Well, read the T&Cs (emphasis added):
https://membership.usairways.com/en-...mberguide.html
"Mileage can be accrued for flights, hotel stays, car rentals or transactions actually taken or performed by the member, regardless of who pays for the transaction."
I think US would be within their rights to claim fraud (and start confiscating points) were someone to pay money to someone else to get GS hits.
https://membership.usairways.com/en-...mberguide.html
"Mileage can be accrued for flights, hotel stays, car rentals or transactions actually taken or performed by the member, regardless of who pays for the transaction."
I think US would be within their rights to claim fraud (and start confiscating points) were someone to pay money to someone else to get GS hits.