Email from QFF [FF Account suspended]

[RoMambai]

Because it’s their Business and we aren’t forced to use them? It isn’t a monopoly at all.

Sorry my bad. A duopoly.

 

[Pushka]

Sorry my bad. A duopoly.

Not even that. There are many many different programmes that use points.

 

[RoMambai]

Not even that. There are many many different programmes that use points.

Maybe for where you reside. But in Canberra, we have much less choice. This notwithstanding, it's Qantas's inconsistency that jars with me. They determine that you can buy points but only at the inflated price they set.

Yes, as you rightly point out we can chose not to buy points off them which is exactly why countless points are being traded everyday on OzB and elsewhere with relative impunity. Poor OP has fallen foul but judging by the brisk trades occuring it suggests that plenty more are flying under the radar. I say power to them.

 

[drron]

Maybe for where you reside. But in Canberra, we have much less choice. This notwithstanding, it's Qantas's inconsistency that jars with me. They determine that you can buy points but only at the inflated price they set.

Yes, as you rightly point out we can chose not to buy points off them which is exactly why countless points are being traded everyday on OzB and elsewhere with relative impunity. Poor OP has fallen foul but judging by the brisk trades occuring it suggests that plenty more are flying under the radar. I say power to them.

Nothing stopping ACT residents joining programs such as Aadvantage and Life miles along with a host of others.

 

[Danger]

You know those niggles we have with QF? Inept chatbots, cheap bags of pretzels in J, the website trying to palm you off with Y legs in an F award request? I'm probably happy for those to stay if the company increased its strict enforcement of FF terms and conditions and vigilance of member activity.

Oh, yes. I recently flew QF international J. A two cent bag of pretzels just screams premium.

 

[juddles]

....They determine that you can buy points but only at the inflated price they set......

Hey there RoMambai, you are seriously upset that a business sets prices for its product that it thinks people will pay??!!

As for the OP. They are a member of this forum - so most likely very aware of the detail in terms and conditions and the inherent risks in trying to benefit by going outside what is allowed. They rolled the dice ..... let them accept the results.

 

[Happy Trails]

Oh, yes. I recently flew QF international J. A two cent bag of pretzels just screams premium.

They're not just pretzels, they're Neil Perry inspired pretzels.

 

[odysseus]

Yes, as you rightly point out we can chose not to buy points off them which is exactly why countless points are being traded everyday on OzB and elsewhere with relative impunity. Poor OP has fallen foul but judging by the brisk trades occuring it suggests that plenty more are flying under the radar. I say power to them.

While there is activity, I get the impression not as much as there used to be, and that the key players have been stopped. Where there's money, there are opportunists, but I think the program's efforts are having an effect.

You could also see that in how the market price has risen this year; as supply is restricted, so the price goes up (like other illicit substances...).

 

[Pushka]

Oh, yes. I recently flew QF international J. A two cent bag of pretzels just screams premium.

Well I much prefer them to the warmed bowl of nuts you get on Qatar J........I hate pretzels. And those rice cracker pea thinggies. Disgusting.

As for those asterisks. Where the main lengthy flight is in Y but it’s popped into the J awards column. How do they get away with that.

 

[Scott K]

Well I much prefer them to the warmed bowl of nuts you get on Qatar J........I hate pretzels. And those rice cracker pea thinggies. Disgusting.

As for those asterisks. Where the main lengthy flight is in Y but it’s popped into the J awards column. How do they get away with that.

Please... can someone just say 'These pretzels are making me thirsty'.
.... it just occurred to me that that joke is so old that it instantly makes me look old.

Anyway. I love those pea crackers!

Kids... Don't buy points (just trying to keep it relevant here)

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Kids... Don't buy points

Just sign up to a credit card and you get them for free.

 

[Scott K]

Just sign up to a credit card and you get them for free.

Exactly.

And if you want to buy them, do it by buying a truckload of points acquiring wine. That way you have your Christmas presents for your alcoholic friends sorted for the next decade, and you have points!

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Exactly.

And if you want to buy them, do it by buying a truckload of points acquiring wine. That way you have your Christmas presents for your alcoholic friends sorted for the next decade, and you have points!

For friends? I use that excuse too

 

[mrsterryn]

I can see the appeal of purchasing them
I just booked a trip to Europe for Dec...all on point..now the nice thing is I can cancel the trip with the only loss of 5000 points.
Though as per many posts sadly I think OP you will just have to be prepared to lose the points as a bare minimum
Hopefully others will see this and not make the same mistake, either unwittingly or otherwise.
Similar to @JohnK I would hate to lost my status if my account was voided

 

[Quickstatus]

Instead of transacting the points for a cash consideration why not transact in an award ticket for a cash consideration?

I got xx_xx_ points. You need award ticket.
Instead of selling the points, sell the award ticket for the agreed price of the required points

It works best if points holder also has status.
Anyone need a lazy 200k points

 

[33kft]

I got xx_xx_ points. You need award ticket.
Instead of selling the points, sell the award ticket for the agreed price of the required points

This, I believe, is how the long running points buyers have managed to escape being shut down. I spent too long reading through the ozb forum thread on tuvz, the guy who does most of the points buying on the site, out of sheer curiosity. What I learned when I read between the lines was that if you were selling a small amount of points unable to be used to claim a specific redemption they'd be moved via a family transfer, but for larger balances, he would (somehow, some way?) match a buyer and a seller and on-sell the reward ticket.

Given he's been operating for years with what appears to be relative impunity, I suspect he has it down to a fine art. That said you have a very high chance of being caught and I don't want to make it sound like its a good idea to anyone... do not sell points. What I found amusing was that in the absence of a way to detect and shut down this individual thus far (there's a suggestion upthread that he may be under investigation now but I could not find any corroborating discussion on ozb so far) Velocity FF got a court injunction against ozb to shut down the thread.

Here it is: Safer Way to Sell Any Airline, Bank or Credit Card Points - Enquire Within

 

[33kft]

I should add that despite what I said above about it being a somewhat polished operation, it should also be mentioned that doing this requires handing over all relevant login credentials to this individual so they can log in and do the necessary deeds. On top of breaking the T&Cs, this shows super poor judgement on the part of anyone who would part with this info. Especially if you had future bookings in there. It's a very bad idea all around and I am shocked how little resistance there is from the ozb sellers to this model.

 

[Anna]

They're not just pretzels, they're Neil Perry inspired pretzels.

On my QF flight on Boxing Day, I noticed he's no longer 'Neil Perry', he's now just 'Neil'

PS don't buy QF points except from QF. Phew, back on topic.

 

[Scott K]

For friends? I use that excuse too

Ummm.... uurrrhhhhh.... Well...... Those pretzels make me thirsty.

 

[Anna]

QF business class MEL-HKG rtn (120K points) would be $2983 buying direct through QF.

Does QF still have the rule about only being allowed to buy points to top-up to a certain percentage of the total points required?