I currently have 113 eUps. I might use another 34 (but even that's not certain), I'll get a couple more back as I convert FP bookings from R to J, and I'll get a bunch more as I cross 80k and 100k (hopefully the latter happens late enough to give me a 2016 expiry date though).

I was going to try this out on Sunday and upgrade a random person YYZ-SFO (I had her picked out too - an older woman who looked like she would have benefited from a bit more comfort). However, the lounge agent wouldn't tell me anything about loads, and the GA actually made it sound like a no-status person would absolutely not get the upgrade if I put them on the list.

Then it went out with 3 empty seats in J.

So the problem I see is that if I walk up to a random person and offer to put them in business class, they're going to ask, "what's the catch?". And then if I put them on the list, and it doesn't clear, they're really going to think (or at least, I would) that I've done something very fishy.

So does anyone have any strategies for:
1. Finding out if you could actually get someone upgraded
2. Convincing someone that you're not trying to scam them

Thanks