‘If it looks too good to be true, then it probably is’: That’s the famous saying that one Alaska Airlines recently learned the hard way when they were denied boarding, had the cops called them, and then received a letter through the post days later telling them they’d been placed on the carrier’s no-fly list.
The passenger, however, did nothing wrong per se. In fact, they very likely fell victim to an increasingly popular fraud that is popping up on Facebook despite attempts from the social media giant to stamp out the activity.
So, what exactly happened?
Alaska Airlines gate agent calls cops on passenger
A woman shared the story of how her dad was made to feel like a criminal when he tried to fly with Alaska Airlines from his home in Ontario, California, to visit his daughter in Seattle.
After checking in, the man was flagged by Alaska Airlines, and gate agents sent him back to the ticketing desk to sort out an issue with his reservation. At this point, the man was asked to hand over the physical credit card he used to pay for his ticket.
There was just one big problem: The man had booked the ticket through an online travel agent, and the card he used to pay for the flight didn’t match the one that Alaska Airlines had on file.
The man’s daughter explains how the airport agent “started accusing them of fraud and then refusing service, even calling the cops on my dad while he was being cooperative the entire interaction.”
Airline places passenger on its on its ‘no-fly’ list
The woman’s father ended up being refused service, and then, days later, he received a letter through the post from Alaska Airlines.
While the letter didn’t explain why, it did make the consequences of what had happened very clear: the man was barred from flying on an Alaska Airlines Group airline.
That means that the man was not only banned from Alaska Airlines but also from Hawaiian Airlines.
At first, the daughter thought the airport agent may have “fabricated” a story to have her father placed on a ‘no-fly’ list. The truth, it turns out, is very different.
Passenger was likely the victim of an increasingly popular fraud
It appears, instead, that the man may have been the victim of an increasingly popular fraud in which online ‘travel agents’ resells tickets at big discounts, sometimes using stolen credit card details or frequent flyer miles.
In some cases, these online fraudsters run through huge numbers of stolen credit cards until they finally get one that hasn’t already been canceled by its legitimate owner.
In other cases, fraudsters managed to hack frequent flyer accounts and steal miles in order to book tickets. There are also cases of frequent flyers selling their miles to these fraudsters to make a quick buck.
One anonymous commentator on Reddit explained: “Alaska Airlines reservations agent here… more than likely this was booked through a fraudulent travel agency without his knowledge. These use stolen miles, and we cannot let people fly on these.”
Another added: “Older people don’t always know how to spot fraud online, and in this case, many older people were used to booking through a third party like a travel agency.
Other commentators explained how vulnerable people can become victims of these frauds when they are bombarded with seemingly legitimate-looking ads on Facebook that offer incredible flight deals.
Alaska Airlines has not publicly commented on this specific case, but airlines typically freeze tickets when fraud indicators are detected
Bottom line
Some of these online travel agencies advertise their services through Facebook ads, while others even appear in listings on Google Flights, where the massive discount is clearly displayed against the price to book direct with the airline.
While some of these online travel agents are legitimate businesses, users have reported problems, and airlines are becoming increasingly wary of sketchy third-party services.
Rather than taking a risk that could see your reservation go up in smoke, book direct with your airline or through a legitimate and established online travel agency.
While people instinctively will find the lowest fares for airline tickets, hotels and rental cars from a third party vendor, there is an inherent risk of miscommunication, fraud and false promises. When someone buys an airline ticket, for instance, from a third party and not the airline’s own website, many times, if there’s an issue with the reservation, the airline’s hands are tied. The airline doesn’t have control over the passenger’s reservation. The airline can “see” the reservation but they usually can’t modify it. If there’s an issue, let’s say seat assignment or special meal as the case may be, the airline has no control. The passenger has to contact the company which issued the ticket. Sometimes, the lowest price isn’t the best price. “Caveat emptor !”