I purchased a gift certificate online for a specific department store for $100, however, when I decided to redeem it, it turned out that the certificate was worth $1,000. Since it was a gift card and it was clearly marked as $100, I questioned the sales associate who was assisting me, but she insisted it was ok.

Since my purchase was several hundred dollars, the incorrect amount of the gift card covered the entire purchase, however, I pursuaded the clerk to double check the validity of the card, I didn't want to cheat anyone as I had only paid $100 for it.

We went to the Accouting Department where they looked up the gift card number and confirmed that it was for $1000.00, despite my comments that I had only paid $100.00 for it.

In the end, the department store didn't care and allowed me to keep the balance on the gift card for future purchases.

SLC-YYZ
I was unable to follow... did you say they caught the error and took back the miles or did you decide to use them? (or are you laughin' at the amount of posts this one generated?)

Sweet Willy, I agree with you pretty much on all except if the bank makes an error, I would tell them this one since they seem to always eventually catch them. Then they go submit a fraud claim against people even if the person honestly had no idea. So, in my world, if a bank deposits me extra funds, I would tell them about it before they start fee-ing or fining me! In banking, it is had to unwind things. (besides, it happened to a friend of mine who was away on vacation when she got a $50,000 deposit error!!!!!!! She was away from home so obviously did not check her bal or tell the bank and when she came home, the cops were waiting for her. It got sorted out but what a trip, huh?)

There are no real 'miles cops' and if there are, they are this:

(I heard this before and I SOOOO believe it, as I am in the business...)

"Marketing managers who get stumped on some promo that they invent or send out by someone who they think is trying to scam them will try to either find the person by doing a general sweep of one of their sectors (thus possibly affecting too many people unneccesarily) or maybe even stop the whole promo. It is almost a power thing."

(...can you say AIRLINE PROMOTION CHANGES here?)

This can be taken in a couple ways but one thing to remember is this: If you tell the airline you got those errored miles, then some poor sap employee who mistakenly gave them to you is gonna get fired!!!!!!

ETHICAL MORALISTS in here: WHICH IS WORSE: SLC-YYZ NOT giving back these miles or the honesty of SLC-YYZ causing someone to LOSE THEIR JOB???????

Karma, things you find, blah blah blah... Yes, these are all possible things, but I dunno. I still say to wait and see! Wait that 4-6 weeks they make YOU wait, at least!

I like the church driver one too -that was good. Yes, who is perfect here? And do we want goodie-two-shoes people always policing us anyway? I have one at work and everybody hates her! What karma does she have?

I would give back bank error depsosits, BUT all other things I would agree with you that we aint saints and yet, are we so wrong?

Lastly, was it not Henry David Thoreau who once said someone isnt guilty unless they feel as though they are (not fully quoted here, nor possibly even close, admittedly) or was that George Castanza??

First of all, I am not an ethesist, even though I may play one on the internet (see, I can't even spell it).

Secondly, I would think that when one notices a mistake, they do have a moral responsibility to make the other aware of it. Same as getting too much change back at Burger King. Why don't you just send them an email that says "I just checked my frequent flyer account and I think you might have deposited too many miles into it It is account 1234abcd."

At that point, I think that you have done the morally correct thing. If they want to persue it, they can. I do not think that you have any obligation to make sure that they deduct the miles. If they are still there after a statement cycle or two, I would think that you can keep them.

Sorry about my obtuse postings...still new at this.

MarathonMan, they took back the miles after 2 days (faster than my bank took back the $3000).

I never thought I would see so much traffic and so varied. I hope this doesn't turn into a multi-page thread, but it is fun to read.

Cheers All!

actually AA Since 85,

THAT is an excellent idea!

Here's my newly ammended thought!

You send a message to airline mentioning this like you said and send it to an address that is SUPPOSED TO get a reply, but that often does not. Know what I mean?

I mean, too many times we talk to or email to an airline or some obscure CS department only to get NO REPLY!!!

Soooo, what I am saying is that you should send them the note-short and simple (which would rule me out) and let em know, but kinda don't necessarily try to use the most reliable means to send it! Nobody has to know that you knowingly chose this method but you and us!

Then, PRINT a record of what you sent and wait. You are the good guy for doing what is right (even though I still think it is better to keep the dumb miles because they are NOT money, etc, blah blah) BUT now the Onus is on THEM to CATCH their own dumb mistake and decide what, if anything to do about it!

You may need to not use the FF program for a while or else it could go haywire, but that is up to you and your other remaining bal.

Hey if the airline is swift enough to catch it, they deserve to make ammends and may even give em to you for being honest, or thanklessly take em out. be sure to keep records, for that is how you win the ethics war later on.

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If speed is not your thing, distance may as well be. Enjoy and embrace it all!