Help? Need info on point transfers!

[loribell]

I have pretty much decided to just go ahead and do a point transfer this time instead of an add on. The only problem is I really don't know how this works.

I would love any info anyone has on how this tranaction works.

Thanks,
Lori

 

[tjkraz]

Are you talking about borrowing points from the next Use Year? If so, all you need to do is tell the MS rep at the time of the booking. They will confirm that borrowing is a final transaction...points cannot be returned to the original Use Year...blah, blah, blah. Very painless.

 

[idratherbeinwdw]

I just went through this myself. Here is what I know for sure:

The points retain their original use year (use year of the member you got the transfer from) when transferred.

The points allegedly also are linked to the home resort of the member you bought them from, but it seems very often the points end up being converted to the home resort of the person who got the transfer.

YOu cannot transfer banked or borrowed points.

You CAN bank transferred points. They still retain the original member's use year if you bank them (just got off the phone with MS a little while ago having asked that question)

Some people arrange a 3 way call to do the transfer. This way you don't have to give your membership number to the person you're getting the transfer from. Others (myself included) trust the person they're getting the points from, and just mail them the money and tell them your membership #. When the funds are received the transfer is made with a simple call to MS.

Hope this helps!

 

[loribell]

If this is someone I do not know is there some way of ensuring the transaction happpens?

Do I pay for it completely up front and then just keep my fingers crossed that they actualy go through with the transaction?

Thanks,

Lori

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by loribell
If this is someone I do not know is there some way of ensuring the transaction happpens?

Do I pay for it completely up front and then just keep my fingers crossed that they actualy go through with the transaction?

The terms of the deal would be completely between you and the party transferring the points.

I think idratherbeinwdw's suggestion about a 3-way call is a good one. One of you is going to have to give-in to start the process--either you transfer some money or they transfer the points.

Maybe you can arrange to give some $$$ up front and then the remainder when the points have been transferred. If you can't arrange a 3-way for some reason, MS should be able to independently confirm the transfer for you.

 

[idratherbeinwdw]

Originally posted by loribell
If this is someone I do not know is there some way of ensuring the transaction happpens?

Do I pay for it completely up front and then just keep my fingers crossed that they actualy go through with the transaction?

Thanks,

Lori

As tjkraz has already said, there is certainly an element of trust involved. My suggestion is to get the transfer from someone on these boards who has a decent amount of posts and has been on the boards for a while. Yes you're taking a chance, but we so rarely hear about anyone being swindled that I truly don't think you have anything to worry about.

 

[disneyberry]

Originally posted by idratherbeinwdw
Some people arrange a 3 way call to do the transfer. This way you don't have to give your membership number to the person you're getting the transfer from. Others (myself included) trust the person they're getting the points from, and just mail them the money and tell them your membership #. When the funds are received the transfer is made with a simple call to MS.

<font face="times" size="+0">Keep in mind that it is NOT necessary to give anyone your Member#.
In order for MS to do a transfer, all the info they need to know is:
1) Full Name of Recipient
2) Home Address of Recipient

IMO the 3-way call could be a sticky situation where both parties overhear each other's Member#.

Anyway, for a list of rules, please feel free to look at the link in my sig. It's a bit overwhelming, but please post back and ask if you have any questions.

HTH!</font>

 

[idratherbeinwdw]

Originally posted by disneyberry
<font face="times" size="+0">Keep in mind that it is NOT necessary to give anyone your Member#.
In order for MS to do a transfer, all the info they need to know is:
1) Full Name of Recipient
2) Home Address of Recipient


HTH!</font>

Wow this is definitely news to me. Everything I read on the DIS boards regarding point transfers mentioned needing the membership #. Thanks for pointing that out. And thanks for the "Rules" link, it's very helpful.

 

[disneyberry]

Wow this is definitely news to me. Everything I read on the DIS boards regarding point transfers mentioned needing the membership #. Thanks for pointing that out.

<font face="times" size="+0">You're welcome. About a year and a half ago, I emailed MS asking about that, and that's what they told me, that full name + address is enough to identify the recipient. I've done a few outgoing transfers this way, and I've also received some incoming transfers successfully w/o giving out my member#.</font>

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by disneyberry
<font face="times" size="+0">You're welcome. About a year and a half ago, I emailed MS asking about that, and that's what they told me, that full name + address is enough to identify the recipient. I've done a few outgoing transfers this way, and I've also received some incoming transfers successfully w/o giving out my member#.</font>

Unless you have more than one contract. I'd hope they can do it with additional info and without the member number but there is a risk they would mess it up without the contract number for multiple contracts.

 

[loribell]

Thaks so much for all the info. The 101 really helped alot.

Thanks again everyone,
Lori

 

[TKC!]

That is interesting... I thought MS needed the member number. How would they identify the contract if I had multiple contracts associated with my name (maybe I just give the last 4 digits of the contract number??). But, these days, MS asks for my last 4 digits of my SSN, address, etc.... so, I think it would be hard to "fool" MS by using someone else's member #... I definitely not giving my SSN out to someone I don't know!

I did want to mention, I have had one problem with transferring points. I thought I was purchasing BCV points for transfer (& that was the agreement), but the member transferred in VB points.... not exactly what I wanted!! Mistakes happen, so please check-out who you are dealing with.

 

[disneyberry]

Originally posted by Dean
Unless you have more than one contract. I'd hope they can do it with additional info and without the member number but there is a risk they would mess it up without the contract number for multiple contracts.

<font face="times" size="+0">This is true, I forgot about the fact that some members own more than one Membership. But I believe providing a Contract# would be sufficient in that case. You still should not need to give out a Member#.

Or maybe just the identifying attributes of the contract you want to receive the transfer into. Such as your October Use Year 200 point OKW contract, for example.</font>

 

[DBBN]

I posted this on another thread and thought it appropriate here as well.

This is another example of...it depends on who at MS is taking your call. Annoying but true.

I've transferred INTO other members accounts on 4 occasions during the last 16 months and the process differed from one transfer to the next. The first transfer was processed via a conference call where I DID NOT gain access to the member number of the member recieving the points. The second transfer was processed with the member number after MS indicated they WOULD NOT do the conference call. The last 2 transfers the member volunteered their member number and the transfer was processed using their number instead of a conference call.

I have to admit that I would feel very uncomfortable giving out my member number and I fully understand if others prefer not to give it to me.

Based on past experience I find having the recieving members member number simplifies the process but they will do a conference call IF YOU GET someone in MS who is willing to do so.

Whenever I've done a transfer I transfer the points and ask that the payment be sent ONLY AFTER the receiving member has confirmed the points are actually in their account. The points usually appear the next day and payment is sent. This eliminates ALL risk to the receiving member. I judge the level of risk I'm willing to take based on the recipients previous posts and contents of their posts. I expect I'll continue taking a calculated risk until I get burned...hopefully that won't happen for a long time...maybe even never. I choose to take the risk as a courtesy to the DVC member needing the points to allow them to make their reservation as soon as possible.

We have June and December UY's at OKW. We transfer OUT of our June UY and INTO the December UY. This happens to be a nice benefit of more than one UY and it allows us great flexibility.