Marriott Will Pay for New Passports of Travelers Affected by Massive Breach
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
Since news broke of Marriott’s massive data breach on Friday, the world’s largest hotel chain has been backtracking to help offer safeguards to travelers who may have been affected. Just on Monday, New York Senator Chuck Schumer said that the chain should pay for new passports for those affected, and now, Marriott has conceded and will reimburse travelers who have to get a new travel document as a result of the breach.
“As it relates to passports and potential fraud, we are setting up a process to work with our guests who believe that they have experienced fraud as a result of their passports being involved in this incident,” a Marriott spokesperson told MarketWatch.
“If, through that process, we determine that fraud has taken place, then the company will reimburse guests for the costs associated with getting a new passport.”
In addition to passport reimbursement, that the chain said that it would give free identity theft monitoring software to track accounts. With the passport protection, Marriott is pledging to help the portion of those affected by the breach — 327 million — who may have had their passport information stolen.
On Monday, Senator Chuck Schumer said that Marriott should cover the $110 new passport fee for any Marriott customer whose passport number was stolen, putting them at a larger risk for identity theft.
Marriott disclosed that hackers had been breaching the Starwood database since 2014, copying and encrypting customers’ personal information, creating their own database of Starwood guests’ data. Marriott, which merged with Starwood earlier this year to form the world’s largest hotel chain, said the breach affects up to 500 million guests.
The company said that credit card information could have potentially been taken, but the largest amount of customers had “some combination of name, mailing address, phone number, email address, passport number, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) account information, date of birth, gender, arrival and departure information, reservation date, and communication preference” stolen.
For US travelers concerned that someone might have obtained their passport information without permission, the Identity Theft Resource Center suggests contacting the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 or NPIC@state.gov for assistance.
If you believe your information was hacked, here is a guide on what to do to protect yourself.
H/T: MarketWatch
Featured image by SOPA Images / Getty Images.
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases within the first three months of card membership. Plus, earn a $200 statement credit after your first Delta purchase within the first three months. Offer ends 7/28/21.
With Status Boost™, earn 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to two times per year getting you closer to Medallion Status. Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, 2X Miles at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets and earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases. Terms Apply.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months and a $200 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 3 months. Offer expires 7/28/2021.
- Limited Time Offer: Plus, get a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable 15.74%-24.74%. Offer expires 7/28/2021.
- Accelerate your path to Medallion Status, with Status Boost®. Plus, in 2021 you can earn even more bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) to help you reach Medallion Status.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. *Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $75 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®.
- Enjoy an exclusive rate of $39 per person per visit to enter the Delta Sky Club® for you and up to two guests when traveling on a Delta flight.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.