Crackdown on Ebay Rapid Rewards Voucher Sales????
May 26, 2005, 9:06 pm
#91
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Keller, TX via Baltimore, MD
Programs: DL-GM, WN-CP, IC-Plat
Posts: 541
Originally Posted by Tino
Sure, but those same routes are probably $29-$39 in advance. Southwest would be happy to take your dollars for an extra credit.
SW always surprises, but IMHO, I don't see them doing this.
May 28, 2005, 10:40 am
#92
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: AA PLATINUM, SWA, PRIORITY CLUB PLATINUM
Posts: 38
Originally Posted by davesdog
I recently gave my friend 2 r/t r/r tix. He had given me some before when I was short one for A trip I was taking. Below is A copy of A letter I just got from SW
Dear XXXXXX
A recent audit of your RR account has prompted us to contact you regarding the suspected irregular usage of your RR awards. Because we appreciate your participation in our ff program, we feel it is important to clarify our position on selling RR awards.
As outlined in the RR program rules and listed on the award notification letter, SWA prohibits the sale, purchase, broker, or barter of RR awards. Violation of these rules immediately voids any awards involved, and will result in the loss of benefits and/or termination of membership for the RR member who sold, brokered, or bartered his/her awards. Violation of these rules also leads to inconvenince and added expense for the coustomer who purchase the awards.
Pleae know that we will continue to monitor your award activity, and if we discover any misuse of you awards, we will immediately void the award inquestion. Additionally, we will immediatly cancel any reservation made using a voided award and rebook the reservation as a revenur ticket. to this end, when the person to whom you sold the award arrives at the airport to travel, he/she will be required to purchase a revenue ticket before he/she will be allowed to travel.
We take the security of our members RR accounts seriously, and we make every effort to protect our members from fraudulent activity, likewise, we expect our members to do the same. The misuse of awards compromises the security of our members accounts because personal account information is shared with the broker or buyer. We will not be responsible for the future security of a compromised account nor will we be responsible for the awards used by an unauthorized party from an account with a history of awards being sold, brokered, or bartered.
We trust this will clear up any misunderstandings relative to the proper usage of RR awards. By protecting your awards from improper use, you will help us ensure that we can continue to offer such generous benifits to our RR members. We truly value your business and look forward to you continued patronage.
Copy to:
Vance Toler, Director Corporate Security
Sounds like they have no question of my award being sold? I guess trading these back and forth could be considered bartered awards?
Any ideas??
Dear XXXXXX
A recent audit of your RR account has prompted us to contact you regarding the suspected irregular usage of your RR awards. Because we appreciate your participation in our ff program, we feel it is important to clarify our position on selling RR awards.
As outlined in the RR program rules and listed on the award notification letter, SWA prohibits the sale, purchase, broker, or barter of RR awards. Violation of these rules immediately voids any awards involved, and will result in the loss of benefits and/or termination of membership for the RR member who sold, brokered, or bartered his/her awards. Violation of these rules also leads to inconvenince and added expense for the coustomer who purchase the awards.
Pleae know that we will continue to monitor your award activity, and if we discover any misuse of you awards, we will immediately void the award inquestion. Additionally, we will immediatly cancel any reservation made using a voided award and rebook the reservation as a revenur ticket. to this end, when the person to whom you sold the award arrives at the airport to travel, he/she will be required to purchase a revenue ticket before he/she will be allowed to travel.
We take the security of our members RR accounts seriously, and we make every effort to protect our members from fraudulent activity, likewise, we expect our members to do the same. The misuse of awards compromises the security of our members accounts because personal account information is shared with the broker or buyer. We will not be responsible for the future security of a compromised account nor will we be responsible for the awards used by an unauthorized party from an account with a history of awards being sold, brokered, or bartered.
We trust this will clear up any misunderstandings relative to the proper usage of RR awards. By protecting your awards from improper use, you will help us ensure that we can continue to offer such generous benifits to our RR members. We truly value your business and look forward to you continued patronage.
Copy to:
Vance Toler, Director Corporate Security
Sounds like they have no question of my award being sold? I guess trading these back and forth could be considered bartered awards?
Any ideas??
I also received the same warning letter from SWA. I had made some last minute reservations for 2 1 way tickets for someone who needed last minute tickets. SWA also locked me out of my online access of my account. I have since regained access. Also I have a friend that sold some Rapid Rewards on ebay, and he received the same warning letter from SWA.
May 31, 2005, 4:33 pm
#94
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Utah
Programs: Amex MR, Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, WN and Hertz
Posts: 60
One way this breaks down though is with small companies that use RR rewards of their employees for trips for other employees. Some people cannot keep the RR tickets they earn because the company is the one paying for them. If WN decides to cut off these accounts, the company would get pretty pissed and may go elsewhere. They better be careful of who they send warning messages to or who they cut off.
May 31, 2005, 4:49 pm
#95
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: San Diego,CA,USA
Programs: Southwest Companion Pass American Admirals Club Lifetime,IHG Rewards Spire,HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,358
I dont think they monitor who uses them
I think they probably look more closely to who is actively selling rewards
and not that the names don't match the reward. Business travel rewards are not sold so there would be no problem for an employee using a reward with another employee that earned it. It sounds like ther has been some enforcement in recent months by what I read here so people should remind theselves of the rules of the game.
and not that the names don't match the reward. Business travel rewards are not sold so there would be no problem for an employee using a reward with another employee that earned it. It sounds like ther has been some enforcement in recent months by what I read here so people should remind theselves of the rules of the game.
May 31, 2005, 5:11 pm
#96
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Utah
Programs: Amex MR, Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, WN and Hertz
Posts: 60
Originally Posted by sanFF
I think they probably look more closely to who is actively selling rewards
and not that the names don't match the reward. Business travel rewards are not sold so there would be no problem for an employee using a reward with another employee that earned it. It sounds like ther has been some enforcement in recent months by what I read here so people should remind theselves of the rules of the game.
and not that the names don't match the reward. Business travel rewards are not sold so there would be no problem for an employee using a reward with another employee that earned it. It sounds like ther has been some enforcement in recent months by what I read here so people should remind theselves of the rules of the game.
May 31, 2005, 8:30 pm
#97
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: GSP (Greenville, SC)
Programs: DL Gold Medallion; UA Premier Executive; WN sub-CP; AA sub-Gold
Posts: 13,393
Originally Posted by swinghi
One way this breaks down though is with small companies that use RR rewards of their employees for trips for other employees. Some people cannot keep the RR tickets they earn because the company is the one paying for them. If WN decides to cut off these accounts, the company would get pretty pissed and may go elsewhere. They better be careful of who they send warning messages to or who they cut off.
I encourage Southwest to go after companies that confiscate their employee's rightfully earned RR tickets. ^
May 31, 2005, 9:01 pm
#98
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: The Big D
Programs: AA, CO, DL, WN, SPG Gold
Posts: 1,842
Originally Posted by davesdog
1 Yes, I gave him my password, would I do this to someone I did not personally know? I don't think so!
2 He was not the traveler. This RR did not have much time on it.
2 He was not the traveler. This RR did not have much time on it.
And, pay SWA 50 bucks to extend it another year, even if it's expired, and avoid all this hassle!
Jun 1, 2005, 10:38 am
#99
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,359
Originally Posted by lewisc
It was one RR ticket used for 2 one way tickets.
Originally Posted by davesdog
I recently gave my friend 2 r/t r/r tix. He had given me some before when I was short one for A trip I was taking.
Jun 1, 2005, 11:00 am
#101
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,359
Originally Posted by swinghi
One way this breaks down though is with small companies that use RR rewards of their employees for trips for other employees. Some people cannot keep the RR tickets they earn because the company is the one paying for them. If WN decides to cut off these accounts, the company would get pretty pissed and may go elsewhere. They better be careful of who they send warning messages to or who they cut off.
Anyways, it does seem as if Ebay really is cracking down more often lately on these auctions after all. From watching the award numbers for sale, it's up and down and up and down rather than a fairly constant number like it used to be. It seems like Ebay cancels all the auctions and then within a couple hours lots of people already have relisted their tickets.
As far as the first-time poster above that also got the warning letter along with his friend, I don't know how much stock I'm going to put into that, but it could be true. Any others (preferably longer term FTers) had any similar experiences? You know it's time to worry when I come back and post that my account has been suspended.
Jun 1, 2005, 11:15 am
#102
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,254
Originally Posted by gregorygrady
Are you sure? That's not what the OP posted:
This RR did not have much time on it. He said his neighbors used it for the going out part of their trip. Both one way uses. He now owes me A trip when I come up short, so I guess this falls in the barter department?
Jun 1, 2005, 11:17 am
#103
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Utah
Programs: Amex MR, Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, WN and Hertz
Posts: 60
Originally Posted by gregorygrady
I too see this as a slight problem. But I'm sure it would be pretty easy to get your account reactivated if you gave SWA an explanation. My company used to take employees RR awards and use them for other employees last minute $399 one-way tix (normally West Coast-FL flights back before the $299 cap). It bothered most of us such that we'd intentionally pick other airlines so as not to accrue SWA awards that would just get taken. But what could we do other than quit?
Anyways, it does seem as if Ebay really is cracking down more often lately on these auctions after all. From watching the award numbers for sale, it's up and down and up and down rather than a fairly constant number like it used to be. It seems like Ebay cancels all the auctions and then within a couple hours lots of people already have relisted their tickets.
As far as the first-time poster above that also got the warning letter along with his friend, I don't know how much stock I'm going to put into that, but it could be true. Any others (preferably longer term FTers) had any similar experiences? You know it's time to worry when I come back and post that my account has been suspended.
Anyways, it does seem as if Ebay really is cracking down more often lately on these auctions after all. From watching the award numbers for sale, it's up and down and up and down rather than a fairly constant number like it used to be. It seems like Ebay cancels all the auctions and then within a couple hours lots of people already have relisted their tickets.
As far as the first-time poster above that also got the warning letter along with his friend, I don't know how much stock I'm going to put into that, but it could be true. Any others (preferably longer term FTers) had any similar experiences? You know it's time to worry when I come back and post that my account has been suspended.
That is what I was thinking. It sounded kinda conspirtorial when someone did something once and big brother came down on them. But it could have happened
Jun 1, 2005, 3:07 pm
#104
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 25
Anyone with a SWABIZ account get the warning letter, or only regular SWA customers?
Originally Posted by swinghi
That is what I was thinking. It sounded kinda conspirtorial when someone did something once and big brother came down on them. But it could have happened
Jun 1, 2005, 3:12 pm
#105
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Utah
Programs: Amex MR, Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, WN and Hertz
Posts: 60
Originally Posted by retro12345
Anyone with a SWABIZ account get the warning letter, or only regular SWA customers?