Theft: items stolen from AA checked baggage / luggage (consolidated)
#76
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Deodorant, cologne, toothpaste... you were lucky. But if you really wanted to find the perp, I suspect you could have followed your nose.
#78
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Siesta Key
Programs: AA EXP-1.6MM, Hilton Diamond, ManU & Chicago Bears #1 Fan
Posts: 9,697
About a year ago, couple of hours before leaving for the airport, I went on line to check my balances on my 3 cards. It was a long trip and I needed to make sure all the payments have been posted and my MC and VISA were clear.
It was a shock to me that my VISA (still in my possesion) was used the evening before at Wal-Mart, Target and ? (I forget). All three charges were ~$500 each.
I immidiately got on the horn to the security dept of the issuing bank. As I was talking with the agent, she told me that somebody was trying the card again at that exact moment. It didn't work because she blocked the charge, but I would assume she would contact the store and try to find out the details. Either somebody had my CC card information, sold by a waiter or hotel/store clerk and made a card or they were ordering on line.
The agent told me that they can't do that because there is always the possibility that I'm running some sort of scam. She can't be sure she is talking to ME? (HUH??? how else would I have answers to ALL the security questions, etc.etc?) and it would be embarrasing and possibly costly to them if the "proper" owner was arrested at the store. They will only start to investigate, if at all, once I fill out the forms send to my physical address. Don't know if that's true but that's what she told me.
They mailed the card to my house and I had to have a friend forward it to the hotel in South America.
At the end I was not liable for any of the 3 charges.
btw, all three charges were made in and around Houston, TX, a place I have never been to. A week earlier I had a short trip to LA and had couple of dinners and 2 night stay, using that particular card.
It was a shock to me that my VISA (still in my possesion) was used the evening before at Wal-Mart, Target and ? (I forget). All three charges were ~$500 each.
I immidiately got on the horn to the security dept of the issuing bank. As I was talking with the agent, she told me that somebody was trying the card again at that exact moment. It didn't work because she blocked the charge, but I would assume she would contact the store and try to find out the details. Either somebody had my CC card information, sold by a waiter or hotel/store clerk and made a card or they were ordering on line.
The agent told me that they can't do that because there is always the possibility that I'm running some sort of scam. She can't be sure she is talking to ME? (HUH??? how else would I have answers to ALL the security questions, etc.etc?) and it would be embarrasing and possibly costly to them if the "proper" owner was arrested at the store. They will only start to investigate, if at all, once I fill out the forms send to my physical address. Don't know if that's true but that's what she told me.
They mailed the card to my house and I had to have a friend forward it to the hotel in South America.
At the end I was not liable for any of the 3 charges.
btw, all three charges were made in and around Houston, TX, a place I have never been to. A week earlier I had a short trip to LA and had couple of dinners and 2 night stay, using that particular card.
Last edited by andrzej; Mar 11, 2007 at 10:02 pm
#79
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
A night didn't go by, when I worked in the Comm Center at the PD, that we didn't get a call on identity theft. I even had cell phone service started in my name using my social security number, after someone accessed City employee records and stole the whole list. A neighbor who worked for the City had a computer shipped in her name to Southern CA. Clearly it's the fastest growing crime in the U.S., and causes a lot of damage while you're trying to put things back together.
Best course is to notify the credit bureaus and flag your records (painless, and all automated). The links I gave out at work were:
Federal Trade Commision Identify Theft site
Secret Service financial crimes web site
Both of these sites have very useful information on them.
#80
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Home
Programs: AA, Delta, UA & thanks to FTers for my PC Gold!
Posts: 7,676
CC Fraud Alert!
About a year ago,... It was a shock to me that my VISA (still in my possesion) was used the evening before...
I immidiately got on the horn to the security dept of the issuing bank... Either somebody had my CC card information, sold by a waiter or hotel/store clerk and made a card or they were ordering on line...
I immidiately got on the horn to the security dept of the issuing bank... Either somebody had my CC card information, sold by a waiter or hotel/store clerk and made a card or they were ordering on line...
It happened to me once. My issuing bank spotted that strange online purchase and reversed the charge. My card was used to purchase a $25 pre-paid phone card online. I didn't find out until days later when I was doing my routine creditcard online monitoring. Before this happened, I used to monitor my cc transactions every 2-3 week, if not monthly. No I do my routine monitoring a couple of time per week, if not daily. Even though what happened to andrzej or me were different from OP(we didn't literrally lose our cards), it is wizer to take a more proactive approach to protect ourselves in this cyberworld.
Moniter your cc transactions and credit report regularly and frequently, if you don't want to be a victim.
Last edited by lin821; Mar 12, 2007 at 2:17 am
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,511
I had my card (still in my possession) used a couple of years back for a cash advance. First saw a suspicious "hold" on the account. Citibank couldn't do anything until the charge happened. Then they saw that it was a $600 cash withdrawal in Nevada. They pursued it and got the merchant to credit it back. Citibank was quite sure that the merchant supplying the case was in cahoots with the perp on this.
Damage to me- had to get a new card, new number, change stored info, etc.
Cheers.
#82
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: LI, NY
Programs: AA PLT, AAdv since Day One
Posts: 2,682
JFK AA Baggage Handlers Accused of Jewelry Theft
http://www.wnbc.com/news/17382187/de...l?dl=mainclick
So many questions and comments I don't know where to start.
So many questions and comments I don't know where to start.
#83
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: Most....Four elite air/ Three hotel elites - UA MillionMiler - DL RWT alum
Posts: 1,257
Opening up again.
DFW-HOU was the last leg:
How about a toy train (shinkansen) and camcorder charger that made it to SEA customs and then disappeared somewhere between SEA-SLC-DFW-(AA)-HOU?
Anyone else having such issues right now? The longest wait was the change to AA, however.
DFW-HOU was the last leg:
How about a toy train (shinkansen) and camcorder charger that made it to SEA customs and then disappeared somewhere between SEA-SLC-DFW-(AA)-HOU?
Anyone else having such issues right now? The longest wait was the change to AA, however.
#84
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Suggestive, but not definitive. Sorry for your losses.
#85
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: RBKC
Programs: AA EXP and Eurostar Carte Blanche
Posts: 3,846
If it helps, I had a similar experience a few months ago, also on a connecting international flight into the US.
It was around Christmas 2010, routing LHR-JFK-BOS, and when I opened my bags at my destination, it looked like someone had tipped out the contents, jumped all over everything, and stuffed it back in the bag. Some (not all) of the gifts had been unwrapped (well, that's too kind a term -- absolutely shredded to bits would be more accurate), some had not been unwrapped, some were missing altogether, and some were still there intact.
There was no brochure or other insert to indicate that the bags had been searched or security screened, so I assumed that the items had been stolen. I added the theft claim to my list of things to do, but never got around to claiming anything.
Then, about a month later, a letter arrived from the FAA (yes, the FAA) saying that the investigation into my illegally-checked items had been concluded with no prejudice toward me.
You can imagine my surprise. What investigation? What illegal items? What on earth was going on?
Did some research online, and it turns out there are some crazy things on the list of items you can't check in luggage. For example, refrigerator magnets. Because they might affect the aircraft's guidance systems.
flyzabit, I'm not saying that was the case for you, but maybe the highly esteemed and intelligent gentlemen and ladies who screened your luggage thought that the toy train and power supply (or the contents thereof) fit one of these unlikely criteria, in which case you might receive a similar letter in the mail in a month's time.
At any rate, hope the story might be of use to any others who get these Orwellian letters from the FAA.
It was around Christmas 2010, routing LHR-JFK-BOS, and when I opened my bags at my destination, it looked like someone had tipped out the contents, jumped all over everything, and stuffed it back in the bag. Some (not all) of the gifts had been unwrapped (well, that's too kind a term -- absolutely shredded to bits would be more accurate), some had not been unwrapped, some were missing altogether, and some were still there intact.
There was no brochure or other insert to indicate that the bags had been searched or security screened, so I assumed that the items had been stolen. I added the theft claim to my list of things to do, but never got around to claiming anything.
Then, about a month later, a letter arrived from the FAA (yes, the FAA) saying that the investigation into my illegally-checked items had been concluded with no prejudice toward me.
You can imagine my surprise. What investigation? What illegal items? What on earth was going on?
Did some research online, and it turns out there are some crazy things on the list of items you can't check in luggage. For example, refrigerator magnets. Because they might affect the aircraft's guidance systems.
flyzabit, I'm not saying that was the case for you, but maybe the highly esteemed and intelligent gentlemen and ladies who screened your luggage thought that the toy train and power supply (or the contents thereof) fit one of these unlikely criteria, in which case you might receive a similar letter in the mail in a month's time.
At any rate, hope the story might be of use to any others who get these Orwellian letters from the FAA.
Last edited by ExpatExp; Apr 14, 2011 at 12:57 am Reason: Spelling!
#86
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Was there a note from TSA in your bags?
Last edited by mvoight; Apr 14, 2011 at 4:14 am
#87
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: JFK, DCA, BUR, YVR
Programs: AC, AS, BA, DL, HH (D), MR (T/LTP), UA (*S), UScAAre (PLT/1,87MM), WN
Posts: 5,206
Then, about a month later, a letter arrived from the FAA (yes, the FAA) saying that the investigation into my illegally-checked items had been concluded with no prejudice toward me.
You can imagine my surprise. What investigation? What illegal items? What on earth was going on?
Did some research online, and it turns out there are some crazy things on the list of items you can't check in luggage. For example, refrigerator magnets. Because they might affect the aircraft's guidance systems.
You can imagine my surprise. What investigation? What illegal items? What on earth was going on?
Did some research online, and it turns out there are some crazy things on the list of items you can't check in luggage. For example, refrigerator magnets. Because they might affect the aircraft's guidance systems.
#88
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: RBKC
Programs: AA EXP and Eurostar Carte Blanche
Posts: 3,846
Hmm. The Permitted/Prohibited Items link on the FAA website redirects to the TSA, and the "other prohibited items" link on the TSA website redirects to the FAA
If I can find the letter I received (which has a list on it), then I will scan and post. However, if you do a search for relevant terms like "magnets" and "checked luggage", there are a few likely results. The first time I heard this, however, was when I called the EXP desk, told them what was missing, and after looking up a list they said that magnets were not permitted.
In the end, it's probably regulated by how energetic or ruthless the screeners are feeling at the particular moment when your bag is checked.
If I can find the letter I received (which has a list on it), then I will scan and post. However, if you do a search for relevant terms like "magnets" and "checked luggage", there are a few likely results. The first time I heard this, however, was when I called the EXP desk, told them what was missing, and after looking up a list they said that magnets were not permitted.
In the end, it's probably regulated by how energetic or ruthless the screeners are feeling at the particular moment when your bag is checked.
#89
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: JFK, DCA, BUR, YVR
Programs: AC, AS, BA, DL, HH (D), MR (T/LTP), UA (*S), UScAAre (PLT/1,87MM), WN
Posts: 5,206
Hmm. The Permitted/Prohibited Items link on the FAA website redirects to the TSA, and the "other prohibited items" link on the TSA website redirects to the FAA
If I can find the letter I received (which has a list on it), then I will scan and post. However, if you do a search for relevant terms like "magnets" and "checked luggage", there are a few likely results. The first time I heard this, however, was when I called the EXP desk, told them what was missing, and after looking up a list they said that magnets were not permitted.
In the end, it's probably regulated by how energetic or ruthless the screeners are feeling at the particular moment when your bag is checked.
If I can find the letter I received (which has a list on it), then I will scan and post. However, if you do a search for relevant terms like "magnets" and "checked luggage", there are a few likely results. The first time I heard this, however, was when I called the EXP desk, told them what was missing, and after looking up a list they said that magnets were not permitted.
In the end, it's probably regulated by how energetic or ruthless the screeners are feeling at the particular moment when your bag is checked.
#90
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA 1MM Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 1,524
Why do people check bags with expensive electronics in the first place.... always carry on! Never will you find me checking my camera/computer equipment!