RaginPlainsman

tom911 mentioned Christopher Elliott's listing of contact info. This may also be something to email Elliott himself about if you still have no luck with AS - may be interesting enough for him to get involved.

Good luck!

Kacee

When this is done, file a complaint with DOT for AS effectively stranding you mid-journey.

dayone

For perspective, let's remember that there might be more to the other side of the story.

Kacee

Like what? You're suggesting OP cancelled the ticket himself?

3Cforme

Schedule change?

Nazdoom

Thank you for sharing the Elliott list of contacts. I've reached out to three listed contacts individually to try to escalate the issue. As I was essentially told to wait and hope HU opens space, with the very real possibility that any rebooked itinerary could just as easily be mysteriously cancelled again, I am really concerned about this situation, especially as I need to figure out accommodation and notifying my employer if Alaska will be making me fly different dates. As of writing I have not heard from anyone since the very useless phone call previously discussed.

To answer a question above, no there has been no schedule change.

zebranz

I hope all works out for but I also feel for AS. They probably did get a cancellation and the person who called or did it on line probably had all relevant info to cancel. Fraud works against both OP and AS.

Nazdoom

I was trying to figure out who has jurisdiction for this ticket. AS (US based) is ticketing carrier, Hainan (China based) is the one supposed to transport me, the ticket originates in Taiwan (at the time I discovered the issue), it carries through China (where most likely the cancellation happened, but Alaska of course won't comment on any logs), and terminates in Canada with no US travel. I assume Canadian Transportation Agency has jurisdiction since I bought the ticket while in Canada and it terminates there, but unsure if DOT does. Of course China and Taiwan's equivalent bodies are probably not too helpful for a foreigner who can't speak Chinese.

Nazdoom

Yes, I see that side of it. The problem is that every single AS employee I spoke to rejects that it can be related to fraud. The supervisor's words were: "this has nothing to do with mileageplan fraud, this is someone stealing your identity". I tried to explain the known air china fraud that works similarly but they don't want to consider it and are convinced it was either me cancelling it (directly, by accident, or through a friend) or that my identity was stolen (like an angry ex hacking my email, but not going for anything actually valuable).

I've tried to reason with them but to no avail. I have two Alaska redemptions in May that were not affected. I had two Aeroplan redemptions this month not affected. I check my credit bureau weekly. My email was not hacked. I have non-refundable hotel reservation corroborating the intent to travel. I never accessed the reservation page or app or logged into the website a week prior nor did any kind of check in, so it's not like I accidentally hit cancel. My identity was not stolen; my last name and PNR were misused, but I did not supply that information to anyone and that really constitutes insufficient proof of identity to cancel an international business class ticket on the same day of departure online, anonymously. Alaska supplied my PNR and last name to Hainan who then supplied it to its airport staff and contractors. Alaska should be making me whole (restore my reservation as tivketed) and in turn, Alaska should be seeking its damages from Hainan, whose interest would be to shut down any malicious actors in its staff.

If this were a scam of mine, I would in no way benefit (I ask only the same flights and dates I originally booked, not for any upgrade or changes or compensation). For a hacker or malicious party, they would in no way benefit unless it is related to mileageplan fraud to sell the released space... which as we know from Alaska's blocking of changes on intra-asia Hainan awards within 72 hours of departure that mileageplan fraud in Asia on Hainan Airline is a known issue.

But what bothers me most is Alaska MileagePlan doesn't seem to care in the slightest. My flight home was booked to Vancouver and they rebooked me to Calgary arriving a day later.

tom911

Have you read the UA thread I linked where multiple Air China award tickets were cancelled? There was some initial skepticism there, too, but then more flyers came on board and posted similar experiences of having tickets cancelled without their authorization. Look at this one post that sounds so similar to what we're discussing in this thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/22722861-post117.html

TBD

Are we splitting hairs? If someone called in (or signed in) acting as yourself, isn't that both "fraud" and "identity theft"? Does it matter at this point?

Is it worth searching for other award options? Perhaps it's in both parties interest to waive the 72h close-in booking ban in the interest of clearing AS from further responsibility and in getting you home.

Often1

I don't think that AS does more or less in terms of identity verification than other US carriers. It is a balance. I can't even imagine the rants on FT alone if AS started doing the sort of robust verification which really ought to be involved.

My only caution is that the option of purchasing one's own ticket carries the risk that one will never recover the cost from AS.

Nazdoom

I think 72 hour before departure changes in Asia Pacific (which seems to be the high risk category of itineraries for this type of fraud) should require providing info about your MileagePlan account, such as address and email (whatever info isn't so easily accessible to airport staff, I'm not 100% what they get). I think this category should only be done via phone only, but I'm sure that would be controversial.

Moreover, I think it is noncontroversial that all cancellations should result in an email to the email address on the account that booked the tickets. In this case I did not get any notification of the cancellation. I just as easily could have went to the airport 3 hours before departure, been told I had no ticket, frantically call Alaska MileagePlan from the airport, and miss check-in cut off resulting in being stranded for the night. With my rebooked ticket, I have to constantly recheck that it still shows on the Alaska website because of the risk it too will be cancelled and I will not get any email.

Visconti

Never ran across of heard of this one before.

In terms of potential fraud, what would the fraudsters hope to gain by cancelling a redemption? Hopes that the cancelled award may open up for them to redeem and sell to an unsuspecting party?

TBD

I'm also wondering how these groups get the flight information to begin with....