Aug 22, 2015, 2:16 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Last edit by: Prospero

This thread is dedicated to issues around American Airlines AAdvantage accounts being invaded, taken over or compromised resulting in theft of awards, miles, upgrades and other instruments - and related issues.

For issues about account freezes or closures, airline accusations of fraud against the AAdvantage programm and the like please see: Account audit / fraud: award / miles / SWU / VIP sale, barter, etc (consolidated).

If you find your account has been breached or have unexplained activity such as awards you did not arrange, contact AA immediately to protect and gain control over your account and to be made whole.

To help protect your account, be sure

Have a strong, protected and secure password
check your account periodically
be aware and keep track of your transactions
control or destroy documents such as boarding passes
use antivirus software- if your personal computer is hacked they can gain control of your AA account
Be very wary of logging into your account on public computers, like at internet cafés or the hotel business center, where keystroke loggers could be installed

If your email information is correct in aa.com, changes to your account should be sent to you as follows (even if someone changes your email address, though it's of no help if someone pirates your email account):

Quote:

Dear JDiver,

Thanks for visiting AA.com. This email confirms that your account has been updated as follows.

Your contact information has been updated, but is not included in this e-mail for the security of your account.

If you did not change your contact information or if you have any concerns about your account, please contact aa.com Web Services.

If you have unsubscribed to one of our email products, we will remove your address from our mailing list as soon as possible. Please be aware that you may continue to receive emails for up to 10 business days.

If you have subscribed to AA email products and are not receiving them, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) may use filters to prevent unwanted emails from reaching your inbox. Sometimes, these filters also block messages you want to receive. In most cases, adding us to your list of trusted senders will solve this issue. In AOL, select "Add Address"; in Yahoo! Mail, Outlook or Outlook Express select "Add To Address Book"; or Hotmail or MSN, select "Save Address(es)". If you need further assistance, contact your ISP's technical support department and ask how to "whitelist" emails from AA.

AA.com
American Airlines

Account fraud / breach: my account compromised, awards taken, etc.

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Sep 7, 2015, 4:00 pm

#196

RogerD408

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Nov 2003

Location: South Florida

Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP

Posts: 11,329

Quote:

Originally Posted by nrr

That was the point of my post. His account was looted and those miles were used to fly. The miles are not entities like an automobile, where are "they" located

Actually, I believe OP can file wherever he may be at the time. The point of the report is a sworn report to a LEO which is illegal in all of the USA. Should AA find the OP participated in the scheme, in addition to zeroing out his account, could seek prosecution for perjury. And should that require deportation to Sweet Water, NC, all the better!

Sep 7, 2015, 6:10 pm

#197

QueenOfCoach

Join Date: Aug 2010

Location: LAX

Programs: AA Lifetime Gold but PlatPro thanks to LPs

Posts: 4,439

Quote:

Originally Posted by RogerD408

Actually, I believe OP can file wherever he may be at the time. The point of the report is a sworn report to a LEO which is illegal in all of the USA. Should AA find the OP participated in the scheme, in addition to zeroing out his account, could seek prosecution for perjury. And should that require deportation to Sweet Water, NC, all the better!

Emphasis added.

I think you meant to say any police report is sworn to an LEO, under penalty of perjury.

If the person swearing the report has falsified anything in the report, they have bigger problems than just loss of frequent flyer miles. They could, as you said, be prosecuted for perjury.

Sep 8, 2015, 2:54 am

#198

JBD

Join Date: Apr 2005

Posts: 522

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gardyloo

... but I'm still puzzled how they got my AA number and password for the old account, in order to change the contact info....Has there been any mention of cybersecurity glitches during the AA/US melding?

Sorry to hear about your troubles Gardyloo. I immediately thought that your breach had something to do with the massive one earlier in the year.

I posted on that thread "shouldn't this be merged" with your thread - but heck, what do I know about FT protocol!

But Gardyloo - you should at least be aware of this:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...14-merged.html

Sep 12, 2015, 11:07 am

#199

Gardyloo

Moderator, OneWorld

Original Poster

Join Date: Feb 2002

Location: SEA

Programs: RAA RIP; AA ExEXP

Posts: 11,804

Just as an update, I have now forwarded a copy of the police report to AA Corporate Security per their request. My AA account still locked.

Sep 12, 2015, 3:41 pm

#200

MrTemporal

Join Date: Dec 2012

Posts: 814

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paulchili

What am I missing here?
The identity of the passenger was never a mystery. The ticket had to be issued to a specific person and that passenger had to show photo ID (including the passport #) at check in.

Unfortunately, criminals have been using fake ID's to get credit, open bank accounts and otherwise commit fraud in the name of other people for years, leaving the victims with big bills that they have to prove aren't their responsibility. That they have moved on to frequent flier miles is probably a sign that since other accounts that store real dollars have tightened up, they are moving to easier targets.

The airlines and other award organizations need to up their security game. At the very least they should offer two factor authentication for mileage accounts. And their customers need to accept the inconvenience of using such tools.

Last edited by MrTemporal; Sep 12, 2015 at 3:52 pm

Sep 12, 2015, 4:52 pm

#201

richarddd

Join Date: Dec 2003

Location: NYC

Posts: 6,437

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gardyloo

Just as an update, I have now forwarded a copy of the police report to AA Corporate Security per their request. My AA account still locked.

Three weeks seems a rather long time to lock your account under the circumstances. Doesn't speak well for AA.

Sep 12, 2015, 5:26 pm

#202

JDiver

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by richarddd

Three weeks seems a rather long time to lock your account under the circumstances. Doesn't speak well for AA.

Didn't they request the police report first?

Sep 12, 2015, 5:46 pm

#203

Global321

Join Date: Sep 2009

Location: Global

Posts: 5,998

Quote:

Originally Posted by richarddd

Three weeks seems a rather long time to lock your account under the circumstances. Doesn't speak well for AA.

If only AA would have locked the account after the first reported breach, this would be a lot easier.

Sep 12, 2015, 6:05 pm

#204

johnru36

Join Date: Nov 2007

Location: Los Angeles

Programs: AA EVP, United 1K and 2MM, Starwood Lifetime Platinum, Delta

Posts: 219

Quote:

Originally Posted by richarddd

Three weeks seems a rather long time to lock your account under the circumstances. Doesn't speak well for AA.

Agreed- I'm amazed your account is still locked. You seem far more patient than most (including I) would be - or at least my tone in talking about it would not be nearly so neutral as you've managed to maintain.

Thanks for keeping us posted.

Sep 12, 2015, 7:33 pm

#205

kmersh

Join Date: Mar 2015

Posts: 1,620

I understand locking the account in the case of the user doing something wrong, but penalizing the victim just seems wrong at this point.

I also understand that AA has its policies and maybe is unable to alter things for the out layers, but it seems that hacked accounts should be more normative at this point (unfortunately) and thus AA should unlock the account once they realize that the person has their miles stolen and did not violate the rules of AA.

Sep 13, 2015, 6:34 am

#206

RogerD408

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Nov 2003

Location: South Florida

Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP

Posts: 11,329

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gardyloo

Just as an update, I have now forwarded a copy of the police report to AA Corporate Security per their request. My AA account still locked.

Not to excuse their actions, but have you needed to transact any business that's been blocked? It may be since your account appeared to be targeted for repeated activity they are hoping to catch the thief should they call in about not being able to access the account (they had to call in for some of the tickets, so maybe they'll be brazen enough to try again).

I know there are some that have to access their accounts on a daily basis, but I would consider the added scrutiny to help keep the account secure to be good.

Sep 13, 2015, 3:16 pm

#207

ijgordon

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Apr 2001

Location: NYC

Posts: 27,239

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmersh

I understand locking the account in the case of the user doing something wrong, but penalizing the victim just seems wrong at this point.

It seemed to me that AA Corp Security hasn't necessarily concluded that gardyloo is an innocent victim yet. That's what they're investigating and I suppose it takes time. Unfortunate for sure, especially considering the notification when the account was first breached. The "solution" is for AA to have corporate security working on weekends. Maybe it would take some bad publicity to push them in that direction...

Sep 13, 2015, 10:41 pm

#208

ellinj

Join Date: Jun 2005

Location: DCA

Programs: AA PPro, Mariott Ambassador, B6 Mosaic, SBUX Gold, Best Buy Elite

Posts: 1,838

Does a locked account mean no upgrades? I would be pissed if I couldn't be upgraded or process an SWU while AA Corp Security takes there sweet time doing an investigation.

Sep 14, 2015, 8:21 am

#209

Global321

Join Date: Sep 2009

Location: Global

Posts: 5,998

Quote:

Originally Posted by ellinj

Does a locked account mean no upgrades? I would be pissed if I couldn't be upgraded or process an SWU while AA Corp Security takes there sweet time doing an investigation.

I would think yes, no upgrades. (I don't know for sure.) But, considering you have to "spend" an upgrade, and call to use it, I would think a locked account would lock you out of all activities.

But, just speculation on my part.

Sep 14, 2015, 8:33 am

#210

RogerD408

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Nov 2003

Location: South Florida

Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP

Posts: 11,329

Quote:

Originally Posted by 110pgl

No call is required to use an upgrade (other than a SWU), so I suspect that would happen in the background. If the OP is not travelling at the moment, other than checking on account, there's probably no issue. I would hope that if the OP does/did need to travel during this time, there would be a contact available that would verify his identity and process the transaction (fee free). But it does seem to be taking a long time to clear up the account. If AA wanted to "monitor" the account for any other suspicious activity, they could surely set up a new account for OP and let him move on from there.

Bottom line, if OP is not being blocked from doing what he needs and otherwise happy, let AA take all the time they need to nail to perp.