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.
Jan 29, 2016, 10:01 am
#347
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
How did you find out about this? Was it via one of the emails AA sends about "your recent redemption"? Those in my recollection have an "if you did not authorize this" clause at the bottom, so it's always seemed to me that AA has had a mechanism in place to protect against this.
Jan 29, 2016, 10:04 am
#349
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LAX, LGB, SNA
Programs: AA EXP OWE, DL DM ST+, AS MVPG, UA, BA, WN CP, Hyatt E, Ritz Plat, HH GM
Posts: 3,185
How did you find out about this? Was it via one of the emails AA sends about "your recent redemption"? Those in my recollection have an "if you did not authorize this" clause at the bottom, so it's always seemed to me that AA has had a mechanism in place to protect against this.
Jan 29, 2016, 10:10 am
#350
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Jan 29, 2016, 10:20 am
#351
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LAX, LGB, SNA
Programs: AA EXP OWE, DL DM ST+, AS MVPG, UA, BA, WN CP, Hyatt E, Ritz Plat, HH GM
Posts: 3,185
So I got my miles reinstated. AA contacted the passengers and I'm guessing an agent pulled from the wrong account. Still changed my password, changed my identity, and my mother's maiden name.
Jan 29, 2016, 11:46 am
#352
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Dallas
Programs: AAdvantage EXP, IHG Spire, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, National Executive Elite
Posts: 1,523
Jan 29, 2016, 12:04 pm
#354
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 5,270
Mar 17, 2016, 10:26 am
#356
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: NY
Posts: 226
I woke up yesterday with an alert on my credit card that charges were made for tickets on AA that I nor my husband arranged. I checked his AA account and a flight had been booked for that day from ACC to LHR to JFK on BA and a return in August via Madrid. They used the credit card on file with his Aadvantage account to pay for last minute charges. Notified AA and the credit card company. Don't know how they got into the account, but we have notified credit card, they are issuing new cards and AA is issuing a new Advantage account for husband. Hopefully all miles that were used on the last minute award booking will be returned promptly.
So just a reminder to set your credit card alerts on so you can find out right away and stop this thievery. I wish they could tell me that they arrested the joker. They cancelled the trip that was ticketed. Ticket was for two and one of the passengers used husband's name. It sure would have been pleasant to have seen thief's face when he tried to check in at the airport.
So just a reminder to set your credit card alerts on so you can find out right away and stop this thievery. I wish they could tell me that they arrested the joker. They cancelled the trip that was ticketed. Ticket was for two and one of the passengers used husband's name. It sure would have been pleasant to have seen thief's face when he tried to check in at the airport.
Mar 17, 2016, 10:29 am
#357
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AA
Posts: 14,741
I'm sure that if you hadn't caught it, Passenger #2 would've shown up at the airport and said that passenger #1 (fake husband) was checking in separately, etc.
Mar 20, 2016, 5:10 pm
#359
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
Maybe the thief thought that having a passenger on the PNR in the name of the account owner and credit card holder would prevent checks such as having to show the credit card to check in. It seems less suspicious versus getting a ticket for an apparent stranger. Plus, the account probably has passport details, etc. so it's easy to book.
Mar 20, 2016, 8:41 pm
#360
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
Maybe the thief thought that having a passenger on the PNR in the name of the account owner and credit card holder would prevent checks such as having to show the credit card to check in. It seems less suspicious versus getting a ticket for an apparent stranger. Plus, the account probably has passport details, etc. so it's easy to book.