36 British Airways Avios Per Dollar Spent at Nordstrom (Expired)
Feb 8, 2012, 3:06 pm
#211
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 107
I was thinking about the same thing but to a less extent. Would they take back the miles if you return the items after those miles have been posted to your BA account (not pending, but posted to your Avios account)?
I don't think they'd make you buy miles at FMV if that's what you're worried about.
Feb 8, 2012, 3:35 pm
#212
Join Date: Oct 2004
Programs: DL Gold
Posts: 880
Of course they would. That's SOP for these shopping portals.
Feb 8, 2012, 3:38 pm
#213
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 769
They would come after you for the points. BA isn't the only company that operates these portals and you're conceivably talking about hundreds of millions of dollars. They also have your Credit card, so if you didnt have the miles, they can charge you for the miles.
Feb 8, 2012, 3:42 pm
#214
Join Date: Jan 2007
Programs: PC Pl, UA 1K, CC Gl
Posts: 2,235
They also have your address, so they can come and take few nice pieces of furniture from your living room. It's much easier then charging cc without any consent of cc owner.
Feb 8, 2012, 3:49 pm
#216
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: LAX
Posts: 1,208
Let's also hypothetically say that this person doesn't share the FT motto of "anything for miles/points/etc." but instead feels that it's worth pressing charges for grand theft under California law, where you hypothetically live, which has a $950 threshold. I'd hope my hypothetical trip was really worth it because even if I hypothetically beat the rap (the prosecutor's burden would be somewhat difficult: proving that your returning $5000 worth of stuff was a sham rather than legitimately justified by Nordstrom's generous return policy), I'd be sweating a lot of real-world sweat and maybe spending a lot of real-world money to do it.
However, what you miss is the fact that Nordstrom offers him the option to return the merchandise (which he accepts through performance). The points were a consequence of the transaction, and the transaction expressly provided the right to return the merchandise (I'm sure conditioned upon a return of the points). Thus, upon return, Nordstrom can debit these points from his BA account, or require him to repay the equivalent value, but there's nothing criminal about it.
Feb 8, 2012, 4:00 pm
#217
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, UA 1P
Posts: 389
Grand theft (in CA and anywhere else) requires intent to steal. Here, like you indicate, that means you purchase the product with the intent of stealing the points.
However, what you miss is the fact that Nordstrom offers him the option to return the merchandise (which he accepts through performance). The points were a consequence of the transaction, and the transaction expressly provided the right to return the merchandise (I'm sure conditioned upon a return of the points). Thus, upon return, Nordstrom can debit these points from his BA account, or require him to repay the equivalent value, but there's nothing criminal about it.
However, what you miss is the fact that Nordstrom offers him the option to return the merchandise (which he accepts through performance). The points were a consequence of the transaction, and the transaction expressly provided the right to return the merchandise (I'm sure conditioned upon a return of the points). Thus, upon return, Nordstrom can debit these points from his BA account, or require him to repay the equivalent value, but there's nothing criminal about it.
Feb 8, 2012, 4:05 pm
#218
Join Date: Dec 2007
Programs: Aeroplan, BMI, Hyatt, SPG, PC
Posts: 606
Haha, I love the way people get so righteously indignant about responding to my original question. Thanks mzkaiser for putting it on a logical tip. I agree, if Nordstrom couldn't debit the points, then they'd just find some other way to get back the money. In the end, it's all business.
Feb 8, 2012, 4:22 pm
#220
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: LAX
Posts: 1,208
Virtual credit cards are linked to some underlying account, not sure how those would hide anything?
Gift cards were purchased or funded somehow, right?
More importantly, don't you have the merchandise sent somewhere and to someone?
Gift cards were purchased or funded somehow, right?
More importantly, don't you have the merchandise sent somewhere and to someone?
Feb 8, 2012, 4:28 pm
#221
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Cellos flying middle seats do not get accounts, but dog are living creatures who indeed are revenue earning passengers. Most miles programs say the miles belong to the airline, so no legal issue I am aware of as to whether the dog can "own" miles. But dogs may lack the legal capacity to agree to terms and conditions. But what if the dogs are sled dogs in Antarctica where legal capacity may be a grey area? Just whose law would govern whether an Antarctic sled dog can sign up for a BA account? Or a penguin, for that matter. These are the questions that keep the BA cardinals awake at night.
Can Cardinal Fang ethically keep Canine Fang out of the Executive Club?
Can Cardinal Fang ethically keep Canine Fang out of the Executive Club?
Feb 8, 2012, 4:43 pm
#224
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 416
[QUOTE=mzkaiser;17978663]Virtual credit cards are linked to some underlying account, not sure how those would hide anything?
Gift cards were purchased or funded somehow, right?
I called Nordstroms CS and they said the limit for buying gift cards was $1000
Gift cards were purchased or funded somehow, right?
I called Nordstroms CS and they said the limit for buying gift cards was $1000
Feb 8, 2012, 4:53 pm
#225
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
I manage a colony of 15 feral cats, but sad to say none have signed up for a frequent flyer account, a credit card or a debit card. Not a one of the felines ever bought dollar coins or opened a bank account for miles either. Like many people we know, they are suspicious or just not interested in flying free.