I was wondering if/how they do this. If they don't, what is to stop someone from getting creative with photoshop, making phony status on one carrier, and then asking their carrier of choice for a match? For example, copy the page of a UA 1P, photoshop the name and ff number, as well as that same friend's card, then send them off to CO to become CO gold. I can't believe that the airlines have not thought of this, and prevented it.

AFICT, the only case in which validation would be feasible is intra-alliance/partnership because no companies generally don't reveal info about their best customers to their competitors, if they can help it. Furthermore, since intra-alliance comps are kind of taboo, I'm inclined to conclude that they don't verify anything.

I would assume that they have to work on the honour system

I mostly agree with you; the one nit I'll pick is the intra-alliance comp (I'm in the midst of completing an intra-alliance challenge right now, so they do happen). While alliance members no doubt can't see explicit details of an FF record for another airline's elite, they must at least know the general level (e.g., SkyTeam Elite, SkyTeam Elite Plus) of staus in order to know when to allow assignment of premium seats, etc. In some cases alliance staus reflects directly to a given airline status level (e.g. ST Elite+ means Plat on US domestics); in others, it's a bit nebulous (If I'm ST Elite on DL, can NW tell whether I'm Silver or Gold, or just that I'm ST Elite?). Regardless, an alliance member should be able to easily verify whether or not a person has elite status on another alliance airline, although I agree they almost certainly can't look deeper into the picture (leisure fare vs. full fares, etc.).

People testified to doing it on the status match thread.

YMMV but I hope you don't believe in karma if you do such editing.... why do airlines not volunteer that "hey Mr ctyyuutf is looking for a status match, what's his level?" to show that their patrons are being poached.

No reasonable airline would admit what their elite's levels are.

How are the airlines going to prevent it? By requiring the physical card to be mailed in? Short of that and a real expenditure of resources, there's no other way; and such as I mentioned is probably not worth the airline's effort -- no program I have dealt with requires such physical mail-in of the card itself -- and/or would turn real elites off of the status match route.

Even if there is misrepresentation 20% of the time, what's the airline losing? Most such persons probably don't travel enough to cost the airline much of anything and those who do/will can provide a good revenue stream to the airline going forward after the status match.

Also, an airline or hotel program may end up violating laws if it pursues the matter too deeply by trying to acquire information about individual persons and their relationship with other programs that has not been specifically submitted.

Don't do this. It's likely possible in some cases, but consider
* It's downright wrong
* You're committing fraud, you're extracting something of value based on false statements (and in some cases false promises of future business)
* If you don't do a good job of your 'photoshopping' the airline or hotel will realize you're trying to pull a fast one, could suspend your account and you'd lose all your miles/points
* These things are usually once in a lifetime anyway, why not save them till you really need it (when you're traveling enough to earn it)?

A the same time you could print out a travel agency card and get discounts at hotels. You could also buy a false diplomatic passport and not pay any more airport tax!

Sign me up .

In my experience, a simple screen shot from your account showing status and some revenue flights gets a quick yes or no.

They are not once in a lifetime, these are once per combination of full name and mailing address (with little creativity one can have as many as he wants) - this may happen unintentionally and be complete airline's fault - e.g. when AF was merging with KLM I ended up with 3 different Flying Blue cards/accounts (had to cancel 2 of them to reduce amount of junk mail) - technically I was able to do status match 3 times.

on the other hand, I wonder why people will do it if they are not planning to use the airline to maintain the status.
AX

I can think of 2 examples off hand:

1) NW Asia golds and platinums are entitled to unlimited WC access, regardless of what airline they are flying.
2) UA is now selling economy plus access passes for $300 per year. 2p status entails the same benefit (and could consequently be attractive to anyone contemplating forking over $300).

You have to be elite to make as many trips to the WC if you need? Guess I better not drink too much water in-flight on NW.

American english doesn't use a word WC for Water Closet.

We don't say loo either. We say toilet.

WC=World Club