AA Penalty for Selling My AA Miles
Aug 14, 2019, 11:41 am
#91
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,195
One of their prohibitions is
Would that cover AA miles and upgrades?
any good, service, or content that violates the law or legal rights of others
Aug 14, 2019, 12:01 pm
#92
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 336
I'm puzzled after reading the last several pages.
Did the OP's aunt rat him out to AA? (for example, accidentally telling the check-in agent "I bought the miles for this ticket from my nephew" or something like that?"
Did the OP's aunt rat him out to AA? (for example, accidentally telling the check-in agent "I bought the miles for this ticket from my nephew" or something like that?"
Aug 14, 2019, 12:08 pm
#93
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
But why would you buy so many miles without having a know use for them first (i.e. multiple awards on hold)? That makes literally no sense to burn thousands of dollars buying miles when you don't even have a plan of how to use them. For as much money you spent buying miles, you could've just bought the tickets you wanted. Not sure who's giving you advice on such matters but it's time to make new friends.
What do you think I did? I was like any other logical American consumer!
Aug 14, 2019, 12:23 pm
#94
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: SAN
Programs: AA CK, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 839
Is there a scenario under which Auntie would be penalized by AA as well? Or is it solely on the seller? Anyone ever heard of such a case?
Aug 14, 2019, 12:26 pm
#95
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: Marriott LT Tit; Hyatt Explorist; Hilton CC Gold; IHG CC Plt; Hertz (MR) 5 star
Posts: 5,536
The OP was caught red handed. A lot of people seem confused as to how AA found out. They have automated web crawler software that scrapes data from websites. Of course they're going to scrape data from Craigslist. Once AA has the information, it's probably analyzed by a human to determine if it can be easily linked to a FF account. In this case, it was. Easily. In this modern age, there's nothing that you do on the internet that is private. https://www.octoparse.com/blog/top-2...cting-web-data
Does AA scrape this website for data? Does a bear s___ in the woods?
The OP needs to write a very apologetic letter claiming ignorance over his attempt to sell miles. He can opt to explain that the woman is his aunt, but I doubt that's important to them. It's a costly mistake, but the OP should be happy that this didn't result in a lifetime ban.
Does AA scrape this website for data? Does a bear s___ in the woods?
The OP needs to write a very apologetic letter claiming ignorance over his attempt to sell miles. He can opt to explain that the woman is his aunt, but I doubt that's important to them. It's a costly mistake, but the OP should be happy that this didn't result in a lifetime ban.
Aug 14, 2019, 12:35 pm
#96
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
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Posts: 62,948
I'm guessing that AA and other airlines have some agreement worked out with Craigslist to find and report such posting. I highly doubt that someone at AA is sitting around trying to contact people who post on CL. Most likely they flag the post and have some sort of ability or agreement to get the posters email/contact information directly. Either that or Craigslist could be sending a daily list directly to AA's relevant department.
Yep. Invalidation of ticket or pay current available fare to fly.
Aug 14, 2019, 12:44 pm
#97
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 336
The OP was caught red handed. A lot of people seem confused as to how AA found out. They have automated web crawler software that scrapes data from websites. Of course they're going to scrape data from Craigslist. Once AA has the information, it's probably analyzed by a human to determine if it can be easily linked to a FF account. In this case, it was. Easily. In this modern age, there's nothing that you do on the internet that is private. https://www.octoparse.com/blog/top-2...cting-web-data
Does AA scrape this website for data? Does a bear s___ in the woods?
The OP needs to write a very apologetic letter claiming ignorance over his attempt to sell miles. He can opt to explain that the woman is his aunt, but I doubt that's important to them. It's a costly mistake, but the OP should be happy that this didn't result in a lifetime ban.
Does AA scrape this website for data? Does a bear s___ in the woods?
The OP needs to write a very apologetic letter claiming ignorance over his attempt to sell miles. He can opt to explain that the woman is his aunt, but I doubt that's important to them. It's a costly mistake, but the OP should be happy that this didn't result in a lifetime ban.
Aug 14, 2019, 12:51 pm
#98
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 508
My comment was in relation to posts saying that the aunts ticket was irreverent and that the fine was related to the sale (or attempted same) on CL.
I was suggesting that if that was the case, and aunts ticket was less than 150,000 miles, I dont understand why it was cancelled.
I understand AA were within their rights to take all miles - but they didn’t. So why take 300,000 of their 450,000 miles and still cancel a ticket that OP had enough miles left to purchase.......unless they do believe that aunts ticket was fraudulent..... which in turn, begs the question as to why they didn’t take all the miles - the 300,000 for the attempted sale and whatever aunts ticket cost.
Or or am I missing something?
Aug 14, 2019, 12:57 pm
#99
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Join Date: Mar 2001
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Posts: 27,730
..If AA does not provide any solid evidence that you were the person who put up the miles for sale on CL other than that phone number, and you can provide evidence that you booked for your aunt, you can sue them in small claims court, and get the money you paid for the miles back.
Aug 14, 2019, 12:58 pm
#100
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold but PlatPro thanks to LPs
Posts: 4,439
Folks, it does not matter if the lady for whom the award ticket was purchased was his aunt, mother, sister, best friend, boss or total stranger.
It is perfectly possible for a person to : (ETA: and violate the terms and conditions, which I do not advocate)
1. Give an award ticket to a non-relative (ETA#2: OK)
2. Sell/barter/trade an award ticket to a non-relative (ETA#2: Not OK)
3. Give an award ticket to a relative (ETA#2: OK)
4. Sell/barter/trade an award ticket to a relative (ETA#2: Not OK)
No one cares if the woman was really the OP's aunt. They care that miles were advertised for sale, and they came down hard to discourage repeat offences.
It is perfectly possible for a person to : (ETA: and violate the terms and conditions, which I do not advocate)
1. Give an award ticket to a non-relative (ETA#2: OK)
2. Sell/barter/trade an award ticket to a non-relative (ETA#2: Not OK)
3. Give an award ticket to a relative (ETA#2: OK)
4. Sell/barter/trade an award ticket to a relative (ETA#2: Not OK)
No one cares if the woman was really the OP's aunt. They care that miles were advertised for sale, and they came down hard to discourage repeat offences.
Last edited by QueenOfCoach; Aug 15, 2019 at 11:09 am Reason: Clarification#2
Aug 14, 2019, 1:00 pm
#101
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: AA EXP, AA Million Miles, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,586
Folks - it doesn't matter how AA found out. Fact is OP was violating AA's terms of service and got caught. End of story.
I am sure AA Corporate Security is a lot more sophisticated that some of the posts in this thread suggest.
I am sure AA Corporate Security is a lot more sophisticated that some of the posts in this thread suggest.
Aug 14, 2019, 1:01 pm
#102
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Location: DCA
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Aug 14, 2019, 1:40 pm
#103
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Washington,DC
Posts: 1,822
I learned something today. I assumed I could give my miles away to a charity silent auction and let the charity keep the profits. I never knew that was against the T&C. Guess I'll use them all for my friends and me :-)
Aug 14, 2019, 1:50 pm
#104
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold but PlatPro thanks to LPs
Posts: 4,439
Aug 14, 2019, 1:50 pm
#105
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,929
ETA: after a quick search it may just be that they will give you miles if you donate money.