Ethical Issue: Need Referrals? Make Up Your Own
 

In the last two days, I've seen a couple of posts asking for referrals for miles/points. What seems obvious to me is: if you need referrals, why not go into a free e-mail service, create accounts for fictitious people, and use them as your referrals? Since you would control the e-mail accounts, you could handle and follow-up e-mail to these "people".

I guess it's not a big deal for me (I must be a bigger slime-ball than most), but is it an ethical issue for most FT'ers? Or just not worth the hassle?

[This message has been edited by cubsfan10 (edited 10-22-2001).]

I am not aware of ff-programs offering refferal bonus before real flights have been credited to the new account.

"Points" would have been a better term (I'll edit the original post). Here's the two threads I'm referring to:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum71/HTML/005049.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum...ML/001212.html

Ethical questions aside, for me it would not be worth the hassle to create five new email accounts, and manage them until the bonus was posted, for 500 miles.

Yes, it is clearly unethical, IMHO! Is there any doubt? This is what absolutely killed many other programs such as AllAdvantage, etc.

I simply try to treat people the way I want to be treated myself! Wish we ALL did! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

All too often people abuse systems which in turn adversley affect those who are honest and abide by the rules. It's unethical and should be discouraged.

There's a story about a famous man (George Bernard Shaw? The dead writer, not the live CNN correspondent) seated next to a famous woman (the Duchess of Windsor?) at dinner. He asked her if she'd sleep with him for a million pounds. After a little thought, she said "I guess so." He then asked, "Well, what about for ten pounds?" Her indignant reply was "What do you think I am, a common prostitute?" He answered "We've already established what you are. Now we're just haggling over price."

I think it's similar with this. I'm no saint. There are things I'd create five false e-mail accounts for. A million pounds, even after many decades of inflation since then, would qualify. A few hundred FF miles wouldn't. I can be bought, but not so cheaply.

P.S. Yes, I know the CNN correspondent's name is without the "George." Just wanted to avoid any possibility of confusion.

(Edited to add postscript}

[This message has been edited by Efrem (edited 10-22-2001).]

Well, Efrem, at least we know your price range.

"I must be a bigger slime-ball than most"

I agree with you!

Add Greenpoints to the sites damaged by greed and false referals sorts of things.

It was a good site that got trashed.

Actually, not only is it unethical, but I don't see how it wouldn't be flat out fraud, which I do believe is a crime, and the fact that it's being conducted via the computer and most likely over state lines, wouldn't that make it a federal crime for those in the United States?

Despite the unliklihood of being prosecuted for such a crime, I just don't see how it's worth the risk, because one of these days a company is going to decide to make an example of someone ...

I think it is fraud as well, there are also some internet laws that may get you too...I have access to a tool that can even impersonate a user clicking through a web site(it is designed to load test web sites before making them live)...with a little work I could have thousands of emails in a matter of minutes (just making up a really odd string and incrementing it by 1 each time I hit the page again)...would I do it, no...is it worth the work..? Hard to say...it is kinda like the using paypal or the like to get credit card transactions between two people strictly for the miles...it is illegal, but also easy to get away with...to each his own I guess...

I honestly think people have to put a value on ones time, if it take me an hour to get a few miles, it may not be worth my time...

I think this could go back and forth forever and if one ever did get caught doing something like this to an extreme, I think they could get sued real bad

I have heard this remark attributed to Winston Churchill.

The most amazing question of all is, why would someone feel the need to pose such a question to a complete bunch of strangers, no matter how intelligent or how well informed they are?

MisterNice

American airlines is one such airline, offering 100 miles per referral upto a maximum of 1500 miles. No flying is necessary. The people who signup can also obtain 500 miles for the signup and 1000 miles for opting for email statements.

Anyone needing an AA referral please email me http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

http://webcenter.aolaadvantage.aol.c...r_a_friend.adp

[This message has been edited by PG (edited 10-23-2001).]