A few days ago I wrote about my $1,000 Hyatt gift card that was empty when I tried to use it (and how the same happened to my replacement gift card). I asked readers about their experiences with Hyatt gift cards and was surprised by how many people reported the same thing. Almost everyone who commented or emailed said that they too found their Hyatt gift cards cleaned out.
One of my gift cards had been used at various properties in Hawaii. I had imagined a resort-hopping thief vacationing there for free.
It seems obvious in retrospect, but it took a comment by Biggie F for me to realize that it’s unlikely that the gift card thieves are really using the gift cards themselves. Most likely, they found a way to steal or generate valid Hyatt gift card codes and they resell those codes to “innocent Hyatt hotel-goers (Ourselves!).” They may sell the gift cards through online resellers, Raise, eBay, Craigslist, etc.
I wouldn’t be too surprised to learn that a reader of this blog had bought a $1,000 Hyatt gift card at a discount from a reseller, and then took a nice vacation in Hawaii using the gift card that was originally mine. If it was you, don’t feel bad – I got my money back – and hopefully you got a great discounted vacation. I just hope that the actual thieves get caught!
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Happened to me at the Grand Hyatt in Seattle, WA. Went to use my $1250 worth of cards that I got using my AMEX points and my balance was ZERO! 🙁
An update to my situation. I just spoke with a Hyatt Customer Relations person at Hyatt who was completely unsympathetic to my situation. I have to contact AMEX since I used my points for my two $500 and one $250 cards. Beware if you do not buy these straight from Hyatt, as they are unwilling to help in this situation!
I too was a victim. I bought my cards from CardCash. Luckily they allow to refund the cost but also took away the discounts…
Why is this a post?
why is this a reply?
Staples used to have an awful problem like this with their store rewards. Every month, the ink recycling rewards would be a standard [five digits][rewards number][check digit]. If you didn’t use them right away when they posted, there was a good chance they’d get stolen. They have since changed the coupon numbers to what appears to be random numbers instead of the rewards number. I think the first five digits are still the same for everyone’s in a given month, though.
My $500 e-gift card was hacked in early March, just called and Hyatt is sending a replacement.
Are these physical and egiftcards?
This same exact thing happened to me this past weekend when trying to check out of the Andaz Maui. I purchased a discounted gc, tried to apply the balance to my folio, and the gc had no value.