Originally Posted by
tom911
Some advice on the slickdeals thread yesterday that I would tend not to follow:
The IP address thing is interesting. I've seen a post over there where the broker asks for the AA account info so he can log in and make the booking himself. Maybe AA does have some really smart folks there, as well as technology, that they're tracking by IP address used in booking and from there just a matter of connecting the dots (or accounts). Once the account is locked, this poster's thoughts about standing your ground and not giving up purchaser information isn't really going to help getting it opened back up.
It has been posted elsewhere in this thread (IIRC) that AA has the ability to use transient cookies and other tools that can create 'links' on a specific computer: so "we see booking x and Y made by computer A, then it logs out, then computer A logs into a new account, new bookings are made, then..then..then".
They may not know the NAME of that computer, but they can link that computer to the many 'things' it may touch- reservations with names; FF accounts with names; other accounts; other bookings.
We do not know for sure what tools they use, but some knowledgeable in the field have opined that if AA security is NOT using these tools they are not doing their job. Not actively monitoring this stuff, but logging/storing data for future reference should the need arise.
When I make my false bookings I use a computer that isnt in a city where I live or work, AND which has never been used (or would be used) for any activity connected to me.
(kidding ....)