Am I being Scammed? (Stranger offer to gift MCE)
#16
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Programs: AAdvantage Exec Platinum, Hertz #1 Club Gold Five Star, IHG Platinum, Marriott Gold, HHonors Silver
Posts: 2,020
Another that may happen, is after the first communication, they then ask you for your AAdvantage number...and then eventually they need your password to make it happen...and then since many use the same passwords across sites, they have access to a wealth of information and can start stealing your frequent flier miles, money, etc.. And there are plenty of people who will fall for this type of thing every day.
#18
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
With the information requested, could one cancel the ticket, pay the $300 or whatever it is change fee, and use the residual value to buy a new ticket (and then sell it to someone else for $500 so that person gets stuck with a ticket that AA would probably cancel when the OP calls in)? That's my best guess for what a fraudster would be trying to do here.
But,.more to the point, people who provide information such as this on sites such as this are likely to have provided other information over time. There are entire operations which scour social media profiles for bits of information. Doesn't take long before they've also got a full address, date of birth and at least last 4 of some CC and Social.
There may well be someone out there who really is the Nigerian Prince and wants to give you $15 Million. But, it's not likely.
#20
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Chicago
Programs: AAdvantage EXP | United Silver | HH Diamond | Bonvoy Platinum | Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 718
Its hard enough to get someone who's related to you on the same flight as you into an empty MCE without paying the fee because they are not on the same PNR (ticket /record locator) much less a complete stranger. Also hard to believe someone who flys all the time would not know that.
#22
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
Its hard enough to get someone who's related to you on the same flight as you into an empty MCE without paying the fee because they are not on the same PNR (ticket /record locator) much less a complete stranger. Also hard to believe someone who flys all the time would not know that.
#23
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
Another that may happen, is after the first communication, they then ask you for your AAdvantage number...and then eventually they need your password to make it happen...and then since many use the same passwords across sites, they have access to a wealth of information and can start stealing your frequent flier miles, money, etc.. And there are plenty of people who will fall for this type of thing every day.
#25
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: トロント
Programs: IHG Gold
Posts: 4,809
#27
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,950
#28
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
That is the worst kind of advice. Responding at all may well provide data which you don't want the scammers to have. Leave it alone and move on with life.
If indeed the Nigerian Prince does wire OP the $15 Million, he won't have to worry about whether or not this is a scam. He can simply buy himself F tickets and be done with it.
If indeed the Nigerian Prince does wire OP the $15 Million, he won't have to worry about whether or not this is a scam. He can simply buy himself F tickets and be done with it.
#30
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP...couple hotels and cars too
Posts: 4,548