Loyalty Program Fraud Can Cost Travelers and Providers a Fortune

It’s difficult to get your head around the numbers in the dark market of loyalty fraud. But, when more than 70% of a $238 billion market is at risk of being stolen overnight, with a quick phone call or a few clicks of the keyboard, it’s time to pay attention. Update: This story originally ran on October 27. On November 3, stories began appearing on hotel and security news sites about a hack of Hiton's HHonors program. Members of the program have been reporting random charges on their HHonors credit cards and points being stolen from their accounts. Apparently, some hackers are getting some nice free vacations in Bora Bora. Flyertalk's got the details on the hack and a thread with ongoing developments. Points aren’t just scores, and miles are more than distance traveled. Loyalty program credits are currency, every bit as good as cash; they were travel’s Bitcoin long before the e-currency was dreamt up. According to a January 2013 report by International Travel