Why can the compaines not send out advance notices of any changes in fine print? There should be laws stating that there can not be an implicit assumption that you have read and agreed to any changes made to a contract – be it for a credit card or for loyalty programs.

I have falled victim to a similar scam by Hilton where all of my 162000+ points have been forfeited due to no activity on my HHONORS card for the past 12 months!!! I was seriously shocked when the customer service rep. told me of such during the process of me trying to avail these points for an upcoming trip! Note the amount of money we are talking here is no small potatoes – if I were to purchase these points from hilton it would cost me over $2000!!!!

What recourse do I have?!? Do I just relegate myself to a corner and sulk over it or try to seek help from industry stalwart like Chris. I know if I were to talk to the various levels of chain at Hilton, I would get a scripted answer (which I did and got the same).

These are the kind of issues one reads in harvard business cases and strategies are created to avoid such situations, but I guess theories are so far removed from the realities of the business that no matter what we think is the “right” thing to do for a customer and the business – people invariably continue making stupid decisions in board rooms and then blame on external factors for their downfall.

Is there a pattern to Hilton’s Modus Operandi? First all of these trivial pain and suffering caused to its MOST LOYAL customers (I was a diamond vip member for over 2 years in a row)!, secondly all the unethical practices adopted by its senior leadership around new business development of the “Denizen” brand of hotels. If the entire management chain’s philosophy is to suck the customers then an average consumer/patron like me has little to no hope in getting any reprieve from such an institution…..

It seems that it takes a member of the press to get companies to do the right thing these days. It’s too bad that each one of us does not have a press card so that we may also be treated fairly all of the time.

Put on your Superman Cape, Chris, and see if it helps you cover more territory!

The legal argument is that there was consideration paid for a certain status and benefits that derive from that status thereon circumscribing the ability of the program to change your STATUS for your life unless they discontinue the program in its entirety. Now – they can change the benefits that you get from and as a member in that status, but they cannot change the status.

They can have gold and platinum and add ‘tin’ status between gold and platinum and move the real benefits from Gold to ‘Tin,’ but they did not do that. I would argue that the type and nature of perquisites cannot be changed either by subterfuge or trick – which is adding a tin level and putting the real benefits in that level either.

Practically speaking the ‘any change we want at any time’ is modified by someone paying for something. Its how contract law has been interpreted for 300 years.

I’d say go to the the judge with some sort of plain meaning defense. Not a lawyer by any means, but I would guess if I called something a “Million Dollar Giveway”, then, after you won, told you that $999,999 went to admin fees (legalese be d***ed) the judge would award you your winnings in “the interest of justice” – as it well should be.

The terms and conditions undoubtedly state that lifetime status is for the lifetime of the program not the member. They also generally give the program the right to unilaterally amend or terminate the program upon a certain notice period. How to you plan on overcoming those two hurdles?