Accused my FF Account isn't Mine!!
Aug 6, 2011, 10:48 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: LGA, PBI
Programs: SPG Gold, Hilton Gold, Delta DM
Posts: 166
Accused my FF Account isn't Mine!!
I'm wondering what I should do about this...
Friday morning I had a 6am flight out of BNA (where I'm based) to MIA. I'm US Gold, 22 years old (look 16) and travel ALL the time.
I checked in at the First Class desk to grab my boarding pass. Gave her photo ID and she printed out my boarding pass. Then she looked at me--pulled my FF account up and said that my address on my ID doesn't match.
(FUNNY---SAME EMPLOYEE did this April 2010 and I complained to USAirways about it)
She was a total #*$U% about it! Accusing me of this in front of a whole crowd of people checking in. Said that she didn't think I was who I said I was. I called the Gold Desk and was pretty upset. She called BNA to talk to supervisor but couldn't get through to her..so the gold desk said I should email customer service.
My Aunt conveniently works for USAirways and she is going to contact US on my behalf. She also is going to tell them that I do travel all the time for work and pleasure.
I just feel that there is a certain way to find FF fraud and treating me the way the checkin counter agent did was wrong.
Friday morning I had a 6am flight out of BNA (where I'm based) to MIA. I'm US Gold, 22 years old (look 16) and travel ALL the time.
I checked in at the First Class desk to grab my boarding pass. Gave her photo ID and she printed out my boarding pass. Then she looked at me--pulled my FF account up and said that my address on my ID doesn't match.
(FUNNY---SAME EMPLOYEE did this April 2010 and I complained to USAirways about it)
She was a total #*$U% about it! Accusing me of this in front of a whole crowd of people checking in. Said that she didn't think I was who I said I was. I called the Gold Desk and was pretty upset. She called BNA to talk to supervisor but couldn't get through to her..so the gold desk said I should email customer service.
My Aunt conveniently works for USAirways and she is going to contact US on my behalf. She also is going to tell them that I do travel all the time for work and pleasure.
I just feel that there is a certain way to find FF fraud and treating me the way the checkin counter agent did was wrong.
Aug 6, 2011, 10:55 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PHL, NYC, DC
Posts: 9,708
Never knew airport staff run FFP background checks.
Sorry to hear about this. Really sucks.
Sorry to hear about this. Really sucks.
Aug 6, 2011, 11:02 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: LGA, PBI
Programs: SPG Gold, Hilton Gold, Delta DM
Posts: 166
Aug 7, 2011, 4:46 am
#4
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MCO
Posts: 1,598
Sorry to hear they did this to you.
Aug 7, 2011, 4:47 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP MM, HHonors Lifetime Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Ti, UA Silver
Posts: 5,036
Sorry to hear you were treated badly. Definitely should not have happened, and I wonder if that same employee was taking a bit of revenge on you (I'm just conspiracy theorizing).
However, on another note, it is good to see the airline taking precautions against fraud. See here for a related story with some interesting parallels:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-ai...-my-miles.html
Sounds like they're doing more about this lately but just need to implement their precautions with a lot more tact.
However, on another note, it is good to see the airline taking precautions against fraud. See here for a related story with some interesting parallels:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-ai...-my-miles.html
Sounds like they're doing more about this lately but just need to implement their precautions with a lot more tact.
Aug 7, 2011, 5:18 am
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: Gold, plat, diamond and more
Posts: 3,360
Sorry to hear you were treated badly. Definitely should not have happened, and I wonder if that same employee was taking a bit of revenge on you (I'm just conspiracy theorizing).
However, on another note, it is good to see the airline taking precautions against fraud. See here for a related story with some interesting parallels:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-ai...-my-miles.html
Sounds like they're doing more about this lately but just need to implement their precautions with a lot more tact.
However, on another note, it is good to see the airline taking precautions against fraud. See here for a related story with some interesting parallels:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-ai...-my-miles.html
Sounds like they're doing more about this lately but just need to implement their precautions with a lot more tact.
Aug 7, 2011, 5:31 am
#7
Join Date: Jan 2003
Programs: American Airlines Platinum, National Executive
Posts: 3,790
Aug 7, 2011, 5:47 am
#8
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: Marriott, United
Posts: 71
Aug 7, 2011, 1:15 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: London
Programs: US Gold
Posts: 627
The *simple* thing is to show ID with no address on it in future. eg, passport, passport card, etc.
wg
wg
Aug 7, 2011, 6:57 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: LGA, PBI
Programs: SPG Gold, Hilton Gold, Delta DM
Posts: 166
Im in college and therefor have a different mailing address than physical one. Parents house (my id address) is 5 hours away...you dont just change your address for college.
Aug 7, 2011, 7:06 pm
#11
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
Aug 7, 2011, 10:54 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP MM, HHonors Lifetime Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Ti, UA Silver
Posts: 5,036
Aug 7, 2011, 11:40 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Bye Delta
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Nat'l Exec Elite, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 16,273
Plenty of people have more than one address. It would be worth reminding her of this fact.
Aug 8, 2011, 8:50 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Finally back in Boston after escaping from New York
Posts: 13,644
Sounds like the employee wasn't properly "retrained" the first time you complained. See if you can escalate it.
Mike
Mike
Aug 8, 2011, 9:59 am
#15
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: US-CP, UA, Marriott Rewards, HHonors, Avis,
Posts: 4,549
If you can't show ID that matches the FF account, then match the FF account details to the ID; US only sends really "relevant" mail once a year when the new membership kits go out, so where's the harm in having that go to the OP's parents' house? They can forward or the OP can pick up when he/she is visiting.
It used to be a LOT easier to have two people "share" the same FF number (not just with US). It's still theoretically do-able if you have identical names-- like a Joe Bob Smith and Joe Bob Smith Jr, just leave off the Jr-- the TSA requirement to collect DOB definitely makes it harder but I'm sure there is someone out there somewhere doing just that. The CSR is clearly being over-zealous but just sorting out this one's attitude does nothing to address the dozens of CSR's out there who may make the same assumption in the future. So save yourself the hassle and just have some consistent documentation. Or as already suggested, use a passport or other ID that has no address on it. I don't blame the agents for trying to sniff out the people who are abusing the system--- like many, I work really hard and spend a lot of money trying to maintain my status and I will be pissed if someone is getting all the benefits by having 2 people's activity credit to one account. Yes they do need to be polite and discreet about their inquiries but the OP has the power to prevent himself from being mistaken for a potential trickster by not showing documents that add an element of suspicion.
It used to be a LOT easier to have two people "share" the same FF number (not just with US). It's still theoretically do-able if you have identical names-- like a Joe Bob Smith and Joe Bob Smith Jr, just leave off the Jr-- the TSA requirement to collect DOB definitely makes it harder but I'm sure there is someone out there somewhere doing just that. The CSR is clearly being over-zealous but just sorting out this one's attitude does nothing to address the dozens of CSR's out there who may make the same assumption in the future. So save yourself the hassle and just have some consistent documentation. Or as already suggested, use a passport or other ID that has no address on it. I don't blame the agents for trying to sniff out the people who are abusing the system--- like many, I work really hard and spend a lot of money trying to maintain my status and I will be pissed if someone is getting all the benefits by having 2 people's activity credit to one account. Yes they do need to be polite and discreet about their inquiries but the OP has the power to prevent himself from being mistaken for a potential trickster by not showing documents that add an element of suspicion.