gift or data error ?

[koreana]

On checking my frequent flyer points today I notice I have 75,000 more points
than expected.These come from a financial institution I have no link with.Either they have been gifted to me or more likely an internal error.They were added,unknown by me,in December.

Am checking with possible benefactor but I wonder how they came my way and is this type of error common ?

 

[mcm72]

Shhhhh, dont tell them !! :shock:

Just book a ticket REAL quick !!

 

[NM]

I bet someone with a very similar FF account number is wondering why their 75,000 points have not shown up yet.

 

[koreana]

After three months I would think the "owner" would have noticed.I am tempted to use them but I think fraud may come into it.While I have no sympathy with the airline industry and their screw the economy customer attitude my own conscience whispers not to.

 

[mrsjo]

I've had this happen to me, but the other way around.

One day I noticed that ALL my amex points disappeared!
When I called amex, they said that I had requested a transfer to a particular Singapore Airlines frequent flyer membership. Not only did I NOT authorize such transfer, I do not even have a frequent flyer with SA.

I had to call Amex numerous times to retrieve the points back.

If I did not make the initiative to get my points back, I doubt I would have gotten them back.
(Amex had no idea when I called up about my missing points. Oddly, they went to great efforts to verify the legitimacy of ME rather than the transfer transaction to an account name that did not match).

 

[koreana]

Amex is involved.Will ask them for a please explain when I get to the bottom of this.Thanks for the response.

 

[simongr]

Just enjoy teh mistake. What often happens is that the points get credited incorrectly but the airline/institution cant work out where the points went so they cough up to the true recipient and then take the hit on the chin for the points they sent to the wrong place.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Amex is involved.Will ask them for a please explain when I get to the bottom of this.Thanks for the response.

Sometimes silence can be golden.

If I were you I would not be drawing their attention to it.

 

[Anna]

I think the OP is right not to use the points.

You're not allowed to spend money that turns up wrongly in your bank account - I don't see why ff points would be any different.

 

[Flashback]

I can't believe some of the responses I'm reading here, how unethical.

Do the right thing, and let them know. You never know, they may let you end up keeping them.

Honesty is the best policy.

 

[oz_mark]

I think the approach koreana has gone through is correct - trying to find out where they came from. Maybe in the end they will just let them be kept, or maybe they will find the correct owner.

But given the lack of traceability these point transfers seem to have, I suspect the outcome may be as simongr suspects.