Recap: American Airlines Details Fraudulent Behavior & More

 

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26 Comments
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jamie
jamie (@guest_1011750)
July 8, 2020 01:59

I just take some sanitizing wipes with me and wipe down all frequently touched items in the room (tv remote, light switch, faucets, door knobs). It just take a minute or so, and then I don’t have to worry about whether the maid sanitized everything or not.

Russ
Russ (@guest_1012541)
July 9, 2020 02:18

Been doing that since the 90’s. Used to find sticky remotes all the time, even in upscale hotels. You have to clean them yourself.

BlissfulApathy
BlissfulApathy (@guest_1011749)
July 8, 2020 01:59

Re Discover: That’s nice of them, but what’s up with the Polish ccTLD in the stock photo?

Frank
Frank (@guest_1011564)
July 7, 2020 20:10

To me the “bad” part of the story is using 10+ AA #s. If it was one per person then that’s on AA for approving all the applications. If you are using different AA #s (aside from for different people) then you are blatantly violating the AA FF rules and are clearly trying to cover your tracks.

AA full of shit with some of those “data mining” claims though. You approved 45 cards over 3 years and only checked once they demanded a refund? Yeah, real good data mining….

raekwon
raekwon (@guest_1011364)
July 7, 2020 13:44

re: Patreon… since the Shop Small discount can be used 10 times, you can save even more money while supporting your favorite content creators. Let’s say there’s a creator who you want to support at their $30 tier, but they also have $10 and $20 tiers as well. Joining at the $10 level will get you $5. Then upgrading to the $20 level (prorated, so you’ll pay $10) will get you another $5 back. Upgrade a final time to the $30 tier (again, prorated) and you’ll get a third $5. You’ll have paid a total of $30, and you’ll be getting $15 back. If you’d just joined at the $30 in the first place, you’d only get $5.

Terry
Terry (@guest_1011360)
July 7, 2020 13:41

Ask your housekeeper how many rooms they have on their list. This will be an indication of whether they have time for the “extra” sanitizing. Note: Hyatt in about 2005 changed from 16 to up to 21rooms per day, with the caveat that daily vacuuming and bed linen changes were not required.

debit
debit (@guest_1011271)
July 7, 2020 11:25

Committing fraud is very american. This country was founded on fraud by stealing land. So stop with the virtue signaling. My salute to the Nigerian scam artists who pursue capitalism everyday.

Mark
Mark (@guest_1011278)
July 7, 2020 11:29

What an original take 🙄

TomJ
TomJ (@guest_1011280)
July 7, 2020 11:30

Funny, I really didn’t see anyone “virtue signaling” in any of the comments. I take it you got nailed?

ComgestionCharge
ComgestionCharge (@guest_1011291)
July 7, 2020 11:49

“I misinterpreted the rules.”

adam d
adam d (@guest_1011383)
July 7, 2020 14:41

why are you here? go spout your constant crying sjw elsewhere. I heard twitter is good. Irony is, you enjoy these bonuses while hating the US and couldnt get these bonus opportunities in another country.

Yawgoog
Yawgoog (@guest_1011252)
July 7, 2020 11:05

“American also notes that its corporate security team monitors FlyerTalk, Reddit, and other online forums to track such practices and tune its detection processes. Indeed, the ability to manipulate the online application for new card bonuses was a huge problem for American Airlines. And the conversations online helped tip the company off to these actions”

OyVey
OyVey (@guest_1011283)
July 7, 2020 11:32

They would be stupid not to. What’s amazing is how long sometimes it takes them to react to something so blatant as the train.

Quango
Quango (@guest_1011349)
July 7, 2020 13:19

Well if you’re reading this SecTeam, fuck you!

Fred
Fred (@guest_1011371)
July 7, 2020 14:04

But please use the Amazon and Ebay links.

Lantean
Lantean (@guest_1011244)
July 7, 2020 10:55

Did AA ever return the confiscated miles to Citi?
I don’t think so… those crooks.

Sideshowbob233
Sideshowbob233 (@guest_1011361)
July 7, 2020 13:43

Yeah if I’m Citi I’m demanding back my 100 million forfeited miles. Then I’d take their counter-offer to get Toby to be my manservant for all eternity.

Pocket Planes
Pocket Planes (@guest_1011219)
July 7, 2020 10:17

There’s churning… and then there’s what that family did to AA. Still, no sympathy for AA. Ever.

TomJ
TomJ (@guest_1011213)
July 7, 2020 10:13

“If you’re going to pick a fight with the airlines over fraud accusations make sure you’ve covered your tracks.”

That may be the quote of the day from the linked article.

sevillada
sevillada (@guest_1011235)
July 7, 2020 10:46

you can’t defraud fraudsters
-Airlines, probably

YoniPDX
YoniPDX (@guest_1011255)
July 7, 2020 11:07

In all fairness “Bubbles” Borges, was an

emotional support Goldfish one of 42

goldfish and guppies living at said mailing

address, sharing a a party phone line and

bubbles.email.address.at.googlemail.com.

“Bubbles” loved to travel and was

heartbroken over the loss of her AAdvantge

account and was an AU on Ms. Borges Citi

account…….

(Bubbles was one of the names in the actual legal response. That was sent a Citi AA mailer).

JR
JR (@guest_1011295)
July 7, 2020 11:50

Thanks for the laugh! Pigs get fat…hogs get slaughtered! That saying could not be more applicable here. 45 AA credit cards opened between 3 people in 4 years. And then they filed a complaint seeking to recover points tied to a cancelled ticket. I’m a churner for sure. I knew about the grAAvy train, but didn’t ever partake bc AA miles aren’t that valuable to me, and I suspected AA might eventually take action against the perpetrators. If you want to pile on something like this, just admit it when you get busted, and don’t file a complaint to bring even more eyes to your account. This is the type of shit that ruins loopholes like this for the rest of us (although I think AA would have eventually shut this one down anyway without Bubbles’ help).

Peter
Peter (@guest_1011320)
July 7, 2020 12:30
  JR

While I also didn’t partake in the now-seen fraudulent workaround, I must say though that the 45 cards / 3 people / 4 years averages to less than one card per person per 3 months, which doesn’t seem all that aggressive for anyone who’s been in this game for a while. BoA Alaska was famous for allowing two cards every 90 days in the recent past.

YoniPDX
YoniPDX (@guest_1011327)
July 7, 2020 12:46

Sounds like the orginal Card bonuses and accounts originated from around four years ago (likely bonus churned at 24 months +/- Spring 2018 – then they got greedy around May 2018).

I still scratch my head over Miami-Maui award redemption subtropical Florida to subtropical Hawai’i – if they lived in flyover or even outside of Florida.

Something aspirational with those 1.4M miles some Q-suites to the Maldives, or even international. Maybe I’m jaded to Hawai’i living on the West coast, but even a Tri-State flight to MCO/FLL/MIA in the winter is even logical.

Michael
Michael (@guest_1011311)
July 7, 2020 12:18

How, exactly, did American defraud you?