Thanks for posting the link to that post. I'd have addressed it in that thread itself, but the general attitude of that thread has prevented me from posting further.

I think the question that was asked and the answer given by Ken in Phx oversimplifies the issue with the Wal-Mart card. It's more applicable, say, to the Charter One card scenario, where cashing out the card is an advertised feature of the card.

With the Wal-Mart card, however, it's not. In fact, it's specifically stated on their cards that you cannot cash out their gift cards (unless the store is required to by law). By purchasing that card, you accept Wal-Mart's offer under their terms.

The fact that many Wal-Mart employees do not follow this policy does not negate the fact that the purchaser of the card is violating their end of the agreement simply by asking for the card to be cashed out in the first place. Whether that necessarily constitutes "fraud" is highly debatable - that was the context under which the question was asked.

Nonetheless, something doesn't have to constitute fraud to be wrong from an ethical standpoint. Selling miles isn't necessarily fraudulent, either - but I and the bulk of FT don't engage in it because we think it's wrong (and against the rules).

Mike