Introduction
I heard from a reader last week who said he could not use Hyatt gift cards while checking out of his hotel because the cards didn’t have pins. As some of you know, Hyatt GCs were easily hackable about a year+ ago due to them not having pins. Lots of stories of people attempting to use them, but the balance had been drained already. That’s why Hyatt moved to cards with pins about 6 months ago or so. I just remember the last Hyatt AMEX Offer, I had bought some gift cards from a Hyatt that were pin-less.
Anyway, the reader called up the Globalist line who confirmed what the hotel said. The rep said that it had been their policy to not accept pin-less cards unless you had the original email (receipt perhaps.) Coincidentally yours truly kept his Hyatt receipt for the pin-less gift cards because I was afraid this would happen down the road.
I then asked Hyatt on Twitter, and another reader mentioned that the PH NY wouldn’t take egift card printouts recently.
Hyatt’s response
Hyatt responded to my tweet saying that they do still accept the pin-less cards as well as egc printouts, but it’s clear that the left hand and right hand aren’t communicating. While your pinless gift cards most likely will work at Hyatt hotels, you don’t want to be in the situation where the hotel rejects your gift card, and you have no time to tweet Hyatt the issue because you’re trying to catch your flight home. The lesson learned here, which you should already know, is to NOT stock up on pinless Hyatt gift cards. Or if you have one, make sure you bring proof of purchase with you. I don’t think Cardcash’s receipt will count either. While this was 2 random incidents, the timing and the Globalist CSR’s confirmation scare me a bit.
I used up all mine in April. The only one left has a pin. I had to tell the Rep. to process the ones without pin when I checked out. Thank heavens.
I’ve been able to convert firsthand non-PIN cards to PIN’d by reporting them as lost and getting a new one mailed out.
What information do you need to provide?
GC number and either proof of purchase or info on where the card was activated. I submitted receipt so I’m not sure what ‘info’ they require exactly. They also require you to be the firsthand buyer, but assuming you provide what they need I’m not sure how they would tell.
Happened to me at the Andaz West Hollywood. Its kinda illegal in Cali based on the penal code. Cardcash refunded me though so it worked out…
Sometimes being anal-retentive and obsessive-compulsive works to your advantage. Talking about myself of course.
I can second the DP on the PHNY. I forgot to bring the gift cards with me to NY and asked them if I could read out the numbers (I had one with a PIN and one without) but they were pretty adamant about not allowing me to pay that way. Good news is that both GCs still have their original balances on them.
I have always stayed away from Hyatt GC’s for this reason – the juice isn’t worth the squeeze as they say.
I wonder how cardcash will handle these in regard to their 45 day guarantee.