Aug 22, 2015, 2:16 pm
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
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):
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):
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
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.
Aug 22, 2015, 8:44 pm
#16
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,994
Great you caught it. I think it is reasonable to assume someone hacked your account, changed your info and then called for the tickets - or passed it off to a broker to call. I would theorize the person at the airport is going to have no idea his ticket was from stolen miles.
I have had a fair amount of issues with my AA card and bogus tickets being purchased, similar to what others have reported. (e.g. Europe to Europe ticket.)
Gardyloo - what made you think to call AA or check your account in the first place?
I have had a fair amount of issues with my AA card and bogus tickets being purchased, similar to what others have reported. (e.g. Europe to Europe ticket.)
Gardyloo - what made you think to call AA or check your account in the first place?
Aug 22, 2015, 9:59 pm
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,222
Hopefully they at least used a credit card, but wouldn't surprise me if a shady broker like this required a wire payment or something. THAT should have certainly been a red flag!
And yeah, will be interesting to see if someone posts about it here!
Aug 23, 2015, 9:48 am
#19
Moderator, OneWorld
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SEA
Programs: RAA RIP; AA ExEXP
Posts: 11,794
I've since discovered that my email has been hacked too, so I'm busily changing passwords and logins all over the place, having credit cards canceled and all that. Somebody charged an $850 taxi ride (in Everett, WA - where the hell do you go that costs eight hundred bucks?) to a credit card that I've now canceled. F-ing people. I have to treat this as identity theft at this point.
It's funny (weird, not ha ha) - on another FT thread I've been waxing lyrical about a new TV show to which I've become addicted, Mr. Robot on the USA network. The protagonist of the show is a hacker. Funny how life mimics fiction sometimes.
Aug 23, 2015, 9:54 am
#20
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Aug 23, 2015, 10:09 am
#21
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
A "smash and grab" of OP's personal accounts. Grab what you can quickly, use it and know that it's all going to get shut down quickly.
As to the tickets, likelihood is that some poor slob paid a fake TA already so it's the poor slob out the money.
As to the tickets, likelihood is that some poor slob paid a fake TA already so it's the poor slob out the money.
Aug 23, 2015, 10:50 am
#22
Moderator, OneWorld
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SEA
Programs: RAA RIP; AA ExEXP
Posts: 11,794
Aug 23, 2015, 12:35 pm
#23
Moderator, OneWorld
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SEA
Programs: RAA RIP; AA ExEXP
Posts: 11,794
Edited to add - and another fraudulent ticket has been issued this morning, but the rep can't tell me any details. I'm now being shuffled around to various robots all asking the same idiotic questions.
Last edited by Gardyloo; Aug 23, 2015 at 12:47 pm
Aug 23, 2015, 12:57 pm
#24
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, SPG PLT, HH GLD, MR PLT, Hertz 5*
Posts: 71
I work very closely with people who respond to these types of incidents (not part of AA) and not disclosing details is normal procedures. I know its frustrating but its really to help you and others, even if it does not seem like it.
Aug 23, 2015, 1:06 pm
#25
Moderator, OneWorld
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SEA
Programs: RAA RIP; AA ExEXP
Posts: 11,794
Oh I get it, and would never criticize the agents working on it. I'm now on the phone waiting for somebody in the fraud department. They've confirmed that a passenger is currently enjoying CX 880 HKG-LAX in first class using my miles, ticket "purchased" today.
Aug 23, 2015, 1:09 pm
#26
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
Lets just hope that AA has a Greeting Committee when he lands, along with demanding full payment for the flight
Aug 23, 2015, 2:58 pm
#27
Moderator, OneWorld
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SEA
Programs: RAA RIP; AA ExEXP
Posts: 11,794
Now that AA knows about it, I wonder if they're connected closely enough with CX to have the pax flagged somehow before they get to the passport kiosk at LAX. Hard to imagine one of the marvelous CX F flight attendants or the purser asking Mr. X to show them the credit card used for the ticket.
Aug 23, 2015, 2:58 pm
#28
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP...couple hotels and cars too
Posts: 4,548
I think that Id want this person questioned by someone other than just AA.
Did you tweet this? AA may want to understand the potential profile of this issue so that can bring appropriate attention to bear
Aug 23, 2015, 3:18 pm
#29
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
Now that AA knows about it, I wonder if they're connected closely enough with CX to have the pax flagged somehow before they get to the passport kiosk at LAX. Hard to imagine one of the marvelous CX F flight attendants or the purser asking Mr. X to show them the credit card used for the ticket.
It would need to be a combo of CX/AA and LEOs and best handled by not letting anyone off till then boarded and asked that person to please come with them and take them to a secure room airside
Aug 23, 2015, 3:45 pm
#30
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
I wonder if law enforcement will be involved...or if Gardyloo should report this fraud/theft to LEOs?
I think that Id want this person questioned by someone other than just AA.
Did you tweet this? AA may want to understand the potential profile of this issue so that can bring appropriate attention to bear
I think that Id want this person questioned by someone other than just AA.
Did you tweet this? AA may want to understand the potential profile of this issue so that can bring appropriate attention to bear
I'd imagine it usually begins with the CX agent saying "Mr. Blftzpk? There are a couple of gentlemen who would like to speak with you." And btw, this already happened...
But how it happened is puzzling; AA Corporate Security / AAdvantage Fraud is usually up to snuff on this stuff, but I'm really unsure what happens when another airline is involved.
Maybe a "warm welcome" by members of the HKPF? Cathay Pacific was defrauded, too.