Warning/Confession: I was caught selling miles!
 

No need to fan me. I am rightfully humiliated and have learned my lesson. The bottom line is that I sold miles on eBay. I saw others doing it and thought, "What's the harm?" So, I put up a white envelope for sale and sold a ticket. Almost immediately after the sale was completed, I was locked-out of being able to access my miles account. I contacted Customer Service and was told there was a security lock on my account. (I had a pretty good idea of why.)When I finally got through to someone in security, I was told the buyer had been contacted and was being informed the ticket was no good. Very humbly, I told the security rep that I would be refunding the buyer's money and asked about what would happen to my account. I was told that once I had proven to the airline that the money had been refunded, I would be allowed access and continued membership. However, the miles would not be returned to my account and an additional 15,000 miles would be taken out as a penalty. She was nice enough to compliment me on owning up to my wrongdoing immediately rather than denying it or arguing about having sold an envelope. Anyway, let this be a word of caution: don't buy or sell miles, at least not an eBay. As for buying or selling miles other places, let your conscience be your guide. As for me, I won't be doing it. As I've thought for more than a second about the question, "What's the harm?," I can now say plenty. It hurts airline employees and other frequent fliers.

Lots of free emails can be set up and COD with cash collection can be arranged.

Why were you still caught? The lesson is, be more creative.

Thanks for sharing your story. Are you willing to mention which airline it was?

Interesting first post especially the contrite last line.

Personally, I think buying/selling miles is not worth the risk but sorry, I don't buy the fable.

could you please add some detailed facts to your story so we can at least believe your real. In these times of mis-information you must question who is saying what and why.

Just in case anyone does not get my point I ask the following:

<< For the first time since the war began, Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf failed to arrive at the Palestine Hotel to deliver his daily briefing, comments that had grown increasingly bizarre as the war unfolded. Only a day earlier, he insisted, with not a hint of irony, that Baghdad was bracing "to pummel the invaders.">>

Do you think the information minister in Bagdad Iraq who refused to admit Bagdad was being won by Americans while US tanks could be seen in the background was working for Iraq or could it be he was secretly working for the United States



[This message has been edited by Centurion (edited 04-10-2003).]

Don't know about miles, but if you look at the UA SWU's, they are being offered on ebay by two distinctly different groups.

Group 1: Has sold 100-1000 items, and tend to have a lot of SWU's available often. None their SWU's so how do you ding them?

Group 2: Sold nothing else. Probably their own SWU, how do you prove that the seller EASTEREGGHEAD is really Ms. Jo. Blow, unless UA buys them and traces the money?

Selling miles? I think one can buy miles for $0.03, so unless one is selling 50 or 100k, why bother, and the buyer has the big problem, anyhow.

Why would somebody creat a fable out of this... what would be the purpose?

[¡]Why would somebody creat a fable out of this... what would be the purpose?[/i]

could be:
* personally airline linked
* supporting (with a second FlyerTalker handle?) a long lasting promotion of a few FlyerTalkers to change the rules of FlyerTalk coupon-connection

[This message has been edited by Rudi (edited 04-10-2003).]

1st post.....I say BS!....Looks like a airline playing games...They make $$ from FF miles....and then give us a seat that would be empty....

The first poster is full of excrement. She should sign it Mis-information.

[This message has been edited by Centurion (edited 04-11-2003).]

What a load of hot air! Sounds like a 12 year old telling everyone to be good boys and girls or the airlines will punish us. Only a very incompetent and naive person can get caught selling their points.

Let's keep comments and thoughts about excrement to ourselves.

It works plenty well to ask for more specifics about a story.

While a unique first post, I have met FTers who have been caught selling miles.

Let's warmly welcome 4102003 to Flyertalk -- and even if skeptical of the story itself, give the person the benefit of the doubt, k?

Thanks! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
Gary
aka gleff
MilesBuzz and Delta moderator

Interesting that many are so skeptical.

First off, do you really think this is the poster's first post on FT? If it was me I surely would have created a new handle to make this post. For all we know it's a long-time member.

Secondly, it says the airlines first contacted the buyer. I would suspect even if the seller was fairly careful not to include identifying info in the eBay auction, the buyer of the miles would clue the airline in as to who and how they paid.

Finally, if it was an airline rep I would think they would have written that the person's account had been permanently closed. This is far less punishment than I thought happened in these cases.

Letiole, a very insightful post. As for the other identities which have been ascribed to me, I admit naive and probably stupid. An airline employee? No. A member with an agenda regarding the coupon section? No. A 12-year old? Unfortunately, older. Full of excrement? No. Incompetent? I don't think so. Fallen Iraqui leadership? A little extreme, don't you think? I'm not sure how much detail others want. One poster asked for the identity of the airline. It was American. Interestingly, I was able to access my account this morning. After a good night's sleep, I became a little angry (just a little.) While what I did was against the Airline's rules, I was most likely caught when I responded to an e-mail from a prospective purchaser expressing an interest in the ticket and asking about flight availability. Two wrongs don't make a right, but on the other hand, I'm not sure an inquiry made under false pretenses was appropriate either. Not complaining though so no need to insult me about my current view.


[This message has been edited by 4102003 (edited 04-11-2003).]

[This message has been edited by 4102003 (edited 04-11-2003).]

Please Guys, Give 4102003 a break
He wants to purge his soul