Marriott Gift Cards & Certificates - Holiday Bonus

[jimf41]

There is no 10-point bonus for paying MFs with the gift card. You get 10 points per $ for buying the gift card and another 5 points per $ if you purchased the gift card with the Marriott Premier Visa card.

That's 10 points more per $ than you would have gotten if you had paid your MFs with your Marriott Visa instead of buying and using the gift card.

Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. I'm of the opinion that Marriott does not issue Gift Cards for any purpose other than spending them at one of their properties. They are not authorized for use in paying maintenance fee's. That's not my opinion it's Marriott's as evidenced in post's #32, 33, 59 and 117.

Marriott accepts a credit card for MF payment. Gift cards are not credit cards. To make it appear as a credit card you have to follow the terms explained in post # 56. Just change something or add something to the original document and make it appear to be another document. Ignorance of a law in place is not an acceptable defense in any US court.

My question remains has anyone actually had the 10 point bonus for buying the card and using it to pay a MF show up on their MRP statement. If it has then you are home free and you beat the system again. If it hasn't or doesn't then you are not home free and will possibly suffer some additional repercussions for the attempt.

I'm just hoping that they don't run out of them before I buy mine after December 24 when my next billing period starts.

 

[dioxide45]

I'm just hoping that they don't run out of them before I buy mine after December 24 when my next billing period starts.

Not going to practice what you preach?

How do you think Marriott hotels run these cards? They go through the Visa merchant system, likely by adding a 4 to the card number.

 

[jimf41]

I agree, they use Visa to process them. As far as practicing what I preach I'll be using mine at a hotel. I've already planned stays that exceed the $2500 point limitation.

I'm not advising anyone what to do or not to do but I think it is in the spirit of TUG for everyone to have as much information as they can before making a decision. I doubt very much that Marriott would ever go after anybody through the legal system for using a gift card in the manner outlined in this thread. I do believe that they might use an internal remedy such as denying the bonus points or worse tossing you out of the MRP system.

 

[dioxide45]

Marriott accepts a credit card for MF payment. Gift cards are not credit cards.

Marriott does accept prepaid debit cards for payment however. The gift cards are exactly that, a prepaid debit card.

 

[jimf41]

Marriott does accept prepaid debit cards for payment however. The gift cards are exactly that, a prepaid debit card.

It is not a VISA debit card. Those are available at this site,

http://usa.visa.com/personal/cards/debit/index.html

It is not a VISA gift Card. Those are available at this site

http://usa.visa.com/personal/cards/prepaid/visa_gift_card.html

It is not any type of VISA card as all their cards have the VISA logo prominently displayed on the front of the card.

Visa Gift Cards and Debit Cards can be used almost anywhere. The Marriott Gift Card can only be used at a Marriott location.

Information on what a Debit Card actually is can be found here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debit_card

Using any type of Credit or Debit Card and altering the number attached to that card is, to be generous, somewhat suspect. All I am trying to do here is to make folks aware that by altering the card and presenting it as something it's not may have certain consequences of which they were not fully aware.

When you go to the MVCI site there are two and only two payment options. PAY BY CREDIT CARD and PAY BY CHECK. The Marriott Gift Card has to be altered to resemble a Credit Card. I think I've explained clearly enough the possible ramifications of altering a Gift Card. Everybody can do whatever they choose.

 

[jtp1947]

My question remains has anyone actually had the 10 point bonus for buying the card and using it to pay a MF show up on their MRP statement. If it has then you are home free and you beat the system again. If it hasn't or doesn't then you are not home free and will possibly suffer some additional repercussions for the attempt.

Yes, I have received the 10 point bonus for buying the card, used it to pay my MF's and the points have showed up on my MRP statement. So I guess in your words, I have "beat the system" although I don't believe there was a system to be beat. Marriott is glad to have people paying there MF's.

 

[KarenP]

Yes, I have received the 10 point bonus for buying the card, used it to pay my MF's and the points have showed up on my MRP statement.

How long did it take to show on your statement? I paid mine on 12/23 and haven't seen them in my account yet. Thanks!

 

[Pens_Fan]

The promotion ran until the end of December and said that points would be posted to your account 6-8 weeks after that.

I have not seen the points posted to my account, but wouldn't start worrying about it until the end of February.

If the come earlier, so be it.

 

[sjuhawk_jd]

That is covered in #78 and #81....

I do not see how it is covered in #78 and #81?

 

[dioxide45]

I do not see how it is covered in #78 and #81?

Post 78 was really just asking the same question about the security code, however post 81 answered the question. If all that was asked for was the gift card number and four digit expiration, then it means the three digit security code wasn't required.

Post 81

Over the phone there is an automated service.
They ask only for GC number that I entered with 4 and the experation date.
Good luck!

Post 79

Did they ask for 3-digit security number over the 800-number?

Post 96

what are people using for the 3 digit security code. Most time when using a credit card online it is going to ask for this code.

 

[Bee]

Where can I purchase the gift cards? I didn't see them on Marriott.com.

Thanks,

Bee

 

[dioxide45]

Where can I purchase the gift cards? I didn't see them on Marriott.com.

Thanks,

Bee

http://gifts.marriott.com though the promo offers have expired.

 

[KCI]

It'[s now Feb and the only points I have received so far for the $1200 worth of certificates I purchased are the 5 pts per $ spent. Just got my newest bill due Mar 3 and still none of those 10 pts per $ spent. Has anyone received any of those 10 pts per $ spent yet?

 

[FlyerBobcat]

Here's a thread started on TUG yesterday....

It'[s now Feb and the only points I have received so far for the $1200 worth of certificates I purchased are the 5 pts per $ spent. Just got my newest bill due Mar 3 and still none of those 10 pts per $ spent. Has anyone received any of those 10 pts per $ spent yet?

 

[FlyerBobcat]

MR Points Posted

Check your MR account for these points. Mine posted... and others on FlyerTalk are reporting the same.
*** Note the date the points are logged appear to be the date in 2010 when your gift card was purchased.

 

[scrapngen]

Check your MR account for these points. Mine posted... and others on FlyerTalk are reporting the same.
*** Note the date the points are logged appear to be the date in 2010 when your gift card was purchased.

Thanks for that! Yep, mine posted for November.

 

[dioxide45]

Our 1000 points posted today. Yes, only 1000. Unlike many, we didn't buy cards to pay MF even though I was one of the ones that helped figure out that it was possible.

 

[dima]

I've got my 25000 points for November too!

 

[winger]

LOL I was just thinking about my bonus as well and saw this old thread...it looks like the bonus has JUST hit my Marriott account (the total acct points) but the detailed line item has not shown up on the activities screen yet.

 

[dioxide45]

LOL I was just thinking about my bonus as well and saw this old thread...it looks like the bonus has JUST hit my Marriott account (the total acct points) but the detailed line item has not shown up on the activities screen yet.

It is in your activities section, you just have to look back to when you actually purchased the gift card. Not the current date. Ours posted with a date of December 10, 2010 with a description of "2010 GIGC MR HOLIDAY PROMO"

 

[winger]

It is in your activities section, you just have to look back to when you actually purchased the gift card. Not the current date. Ours posted with a date of December 10, 2010 with a description of "2010 GIGC MR HOLIDAY PROMO"

Yep, now I see it with the date of when I purchased the card - I missed that little detail : )

 

[BetaJoe]

My Head is spinning???

With all the abbreviations,slang and babble. I just simply want to know-- if I can use The "Marriott Travel Card" for my maintenance fees?(I got this for seeing a silly timeshare presentation at Grande Vista Orlando.) Or for anything but an overpriced meal at one of the timeshare resorts?

I have my brother going to Aruba Surf Club-- I assume that they will want him to swipe his VISA/AMEX/DISCOVER for incidentals...
When he checks out-- Do you think he can hand them a Marriott Travel Card to cover it?

 

[Former Cruiser]

Thanks for posting about going back to the date the Gift Card was purchased. I would have never found it.

 

[dioxide45]

With all the abbreviations,slang and babble. I just simply want to know-- if I can use The "Marriott Travel Card" for my maintenance fees?(I got this for seeing a silly timeshare presentation at Grande Vista Orlando.) Or for anything but an overpriced meal at one of the timeshare resorts?

I have my brother going to Aruba Surf Club-- I assume that they will want him to swipe his VISA/AMEX/DISCOVER for incidentals...
When he checks out-- Do you think he can hand them a Marriott Travel Card to cover it?

The "Marriott Travel Card" may have additional limitations over their regular gift cards. Since the travel card is what they use for promos and also what is usually given our through partner sites like MyPoints. However I don't recall ever reading about anyone having issues with the limitations. You can always try using the Travel Card to see if you can pay MF or even the DC fee online.

 

[GetawaysRus]

I was able to pay maintenance fees last year using the hints in this thread. Anyone had success this year?

I've got some leftover Marriott gift cards as well as a Marriott travel card.

I tried one of the gift cards first. I placed a "4" in front of the 15 digit card number, used the renewal date on the card as the expiration date, chose "VISA" as the card type. The website requires your name and billing zip code. Did not work.

I also tried the travel card. This failed as well, but I expected that because I've previously read that travel cards might not work.

Anyone successful? If so, hints on how to pay with a gift card are appreciated.