Originally Posted by
kmersh
With regards to a legit ticket consolidator vs. a person masquerading as a ticket consolidator using miles (potentially even stolen miles) how is the customer to even know to check that the ticket is not legit in the eyes of the airline
Unfortunately, there is no good answer to this. There are legitimate consolidators that offer valid tickets at great discounts, and many illegitimate award brokers. If a passenger uses an in-person travel agency (not an online-only one), then the travel agent can advise on legitimate consolidators and other discount fares, but fewer and fewer people use such TAs.
Originally Posted by
kmersh
Now they get a call from the Airline Fraud Investigator, their tickets are cancelled and while they did not do anything wrong they still are punished by having the tickets cancelled (that they paid money in good faith for) or as another member said maybe evening being stranded in X location and then having to pay X amount of dollars more to get home.
Yes, these are all valid risks. In some ways it is similar to buying stolen or counterfeit goods, but with much higher risks. If someone buys a counterfeit Rolex in Hong Kong, there is a small risk of having the watch seized by Customs when reentering one's home country. Likewise, someone could buy a counterfeit watch from a local retailer and only discover when needing warranty service. In those cases one is out the money, while traveling on an invalid ticket can force one to have to buy a full-fare one-way walkup ticket.
Originally Posted by
kmersh
I am sure that AMEX would have made us whole (in our scenario) if had gone with the "consolidator" and subsequently found out that the tickets were acquired in a method against the airline's rules, but my Wife and I would still have a lump of coal to deal with in trying to figure out how to get tickets last minute within our budget.
Depends on what you mean by "make us whole." AmEx may refund the original transaction, but as you say, that doesn't make you whole, since you'd be stranded and need to get home.