I'm on a flight CLT-LAX next month, and in order to help ensure the seats next to me are unoccupied, I thought I might purchase a fully refundable ticket or 2, in the names of friends who aren't actually travelling, reserve the seats next to me for them, check them in via OLCI, and hope that unless the plane is completely full the seats next to me will remain empty, and then have the tickets refunded.

Wondering if anyone else has done something similar and if the tactic was successful. Anything in the terms and conditions, contract of carriage, etc. that this might run afoul of?