The three milion point dilemma...

[james1]

So...what would you do if you suddenly discovered that 3 million points had been credited to one of your loyalty reward accounts??

 

[The Rok]

Book flights all over the world and start flying. Or get them cashed in for some vouchers.

Or, and here's one from left of field. Write to the relevant rewards company to advise them of their mistake and do the honest thing.

3 million points would have a significant cash value regardless of rewards company so just keeping them would have legal ramifications.

 

[moa999]

Be careful

Guilty banker could have had $250,000 in the bag - National - smh.com.au

 

[simongr]

Guess this is where my dubious morals come into play. A few thousand here or there I wouldn't mention it but 3 million is a lot. Also if you do try to keep and spend they might kick you out of the program...

 

[medhead]

Of course, with qantas there is no risk of fraud or stealing charges as the T&C clearly state the points have no value.


Sent from the Throne (80% chance) using Aust Freq Fly app

 

[Simo]

I would leave them there for a short while and after a month or so would them maybe spend a few up to the balance that I had before the extra points where allocated.

Then see what happened.

 

[leemin]

I would leave them there for a short while and after a month or so would them maybe spend a few up to the balance that I had before the extra points where allocated.

Then see what happened.

I agree with Simo. And after a month and a few points transactions I'm all for medheads 'technically no value' theory.

Have we got any lawyers on AFF?


Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app

 

[leemin]

So...what would you do if you suddenly discovered that 3 million points had been credited to one of your loyalty reward accounts??

Back to the question though, I would distribute them amongst your AFF friends!


Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app

 

[albatross710]

Be careful

Guilty banker could have had $250,000 in the bag - National - smh.com.au

A Macquarie Bank employee doesn't know what to do with $250,000. I guess he just thought it was pocket change and carried on.

For 3M pts I'd be around the world tix for the family asap.

BUT, with the amount of audits and transaction records the transaction is likely to reversed.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Of course, with qantas there is no risk of fraud or stealing charges as the T&C clearly state the points have no value.


Sent from the Throne (80% chance) using Aust Freq Fly app

having the points sitting in your account (and saying nothing) would be ok... no value and no benefit to you (not like they're earning interest or anything).

But actually using them would tip over into an offence.

 

[Deleted member]

No point in trying to hide them so ask if they are for real I suppose

 

[TonyHancock]

A Macquarie Bank employee doesn't know what to do with $250,000. I guess he just thought it was pocket change and carried on.

Surely he would lend it to people who could never afford to pay it back and then receive a $1,000,000 bonus for doing so!

I'd be in the question why the 3m points were there camp.

 

[QF WP]

Silly man, he could have claimed it had he done the right thing. Perhaps he thought he could get away with it, but now it's in the Govt coffers.

My daughter found $5 In a shopping centre before Xmas, so my wife taught her to hand it in to Centre Management. They rang last week and she was able to claim it. How this lesson stands her in good stead for the future.

As for the 3M points, do the right thing if they aren't yours. You never know, you might have won them in some promo and forgotten all about it and not been able to be contacted?

If they are not yours, then perhaps they will give you some as a reward or goodwill gesture for being honest.

MEL_Traveller, got it in one

 

[amaroo]

So...what would you do if you suddenly discovered that 3 million points had been credited to one of your loyalty reward accounts??

Book flights or purchase items from the organisation that provided the points......if you get caught, just say you trying to give them back

 

[The Rok]

I have heard stories of people who have been awarded points or status credits by QF in error and have called up QF to notify them. They have been advised to just keep the points. Obviously not 3 million points.

I would put it in writing by registered post and maybe make a call. If after 3 months they are still in your account start spending them. If you can prove you notified the relevant company and attempted to give them back without luck then a judge would most likely award them to you anyway.

Its all about "reasonable attempt" to return the points.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I have heard stories of people who have been awarded points or status credits by QF in error and have called up QF to notify them. They have been advised to just keep the points. Obviously not 3 million points.

I would put it in writing by registered post and maybe make a call. If after 3 months they are still in your account start spending them. If you can prove you notified the relevant company and attempted to give them back without luck then a judge would most likely award them to you anyway.

Its all about "reasonable attempt" to return the points.

Yes - but 'reasonable attempt' must be proportionate to the value of the goods 'found'. This is not a low-value limited-life item. 3m points probably equate to around $30k at the standard price most companies to pay for points or award for $ spent.

i would not use them unless ownership had been clearly transferred to me or i had otherwise been absolved of liability.

 

[james1]

The 3 million points were credited to my Priority Club account as part of the current double points promtion, only in this case the base amount 'doubled' over 600 times. Basically it would have facilitated 60 free nights at the Sydney Intercontinental or 100 at the same in Fiji.

Moral imperative aside, I'm not sure you could really enjoy the benefit of an error of this kind - I'd be forever waiting for that knock on the hotel room door.

Anyway, I emailed PC pretty much straight away last night - who knows - there might be some 'reward' for honesty as well as loyalty. I'll let you know.

However if they are still there in a month I am happy to book those 100 Fijian rooms for the 2012 AFF conference!

 

[airbridge]

Get rid of the evidence IMMEDIATELY by transferring them to your "brother-in-law" FF äêóúèÿî.

I'll hide them for you.

 

[harvyk]

I believe that provided you have made a reasonable effort to contact the company who issued the points and inform them of their error if those points are not reversed then they are yours to do with what you want.

Of course condition 9.2.4 from QF's T&C's states they can reverse points issued in error at any time, thus if you spend 3 million points over the next say year and then they decide 2 years later that they where issued in error, you might find your FF account sitting somewhere around the minus 3 million point mark (Although it would make for an interesting signature on your part "One of these days, I aspire to be a bronze FF again"...).

I doubt it would be treated as theft by finding as QF still controls the points even if they are sitting in your account (unlike the owner of a bag of $250,000 in cash when you walk away with it).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I believe that provided you have made a reasonable effort to contact the company who issued the points and inform them of their error if those points are not reversed then they are yours to do with what you want.

Of course condition 9.2.4 from QF's T&C's states they can reverse points issued in error at any time, thus if you spend 3 million points over the next say year and then they decide 2 years later that they where issued in error, you might find your FF account sitting somewhere around the minus 3 million point mark (Although it would make for an interesting signature on your part "One of these days, I aspire to be a bronze FF again"...).

I doubt it would be treated as theft by finding as QF still controls the points even if they are sitting in your account (unlike the owner of a bag of $250,000 in cash when you walk away with it).

I can guarantee you that gaining advantage (that is, using services such as hotel stays or free flights) by using points which do not belong to you IS considered an offence.

There is a very simple solution to this - if in doubt - don't use the points!! No one is forcing you to use them just because they are there.