There comes a time in many Frequent flyers lives because of any number of reasions (moving, new client, better service/flights, company policy, etc) that we need to take our elite status and move to another airline. Most airlines are pretty easy about how to do this. You mail in a copy of your card and statement to a given address or fax it to a certain number. But what happens next?

Do they call your exisiting airline? Tap into their system and check your status? I am just curious how they "verify" your status beyond the photocopies... I am a 1K on United, and have valid status, but could someone fake a card and send it in for say Platinum Elite on Continental? Or Premier Exec on United?

Thanks for any info or insight you may have on this....

(A mind is a terrible thing to leave alone on flyertalk)..