Qantas has blocked online account

[penu]

This website was recommended by my cousin so I am hoping someone can assist me.

I can't access QFF account. I rang QFF call centre and they had no idea and asked me to send email of error message. Despite of sending multiple email afterwards, I haven't received a single response.

I also made numerous calls and in my last call(8th), I was advised that my account is with fraud team for investigation and they will revert within next 24 hours. It's been 72 hours and I am yet to hear from Qantas. This is quite frustrating as I need to make a booking for my upcoming trip but can't access my account.

Can someone please guide how to get it sorted?

Thanks

 

[Steady]

Hi and welcome aboard penu.
Is the booking you need to make a reward flight or revenue?
Have you been transferring points into/out of your account from/to other QFFers?

 

[penu]

Hi and welcome aboard penu.
Is the booking you need to make a reward flight or revenue?
Have you been transferring points into/out of your account from/to other QFFers?

I made a flight booking using my points for my work colleague couple of months ago. It was a birthday gift.

I want to book reward flight for family holding during Christmas.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I made a flight booking using my points for my work colleague couple of months ago. It was a birthday gift.

I want to book reward flight for family holding during Christmas.

Hi and welcome to AFF!

Sorry to hear your news.

Unfortunately the terms and conditions of the Qantas frequent flyer program don't allow you to redeem points for flights unless it is for yourself or someone 'related'. The list of 'related' people are basically your partner and extended family.

On booking you need to select the relationship between you and the person you are redeeming the ticket for.

If they are a family member, this will be resolved fairly quickly. Qantas may ask for proof of the relationship.

If they were not a family member, the worst case scenario will be that your account is permanently closed and you will lose all your points.

Your best course of action is to be honest and explain why you booked the ticket for your colleague and why you selected a family relationship that was not valid.

Working in your favour will be that the ticket was a gift. Any money changing hands, or any barter (the ticket as a gift but they buy you something in return) is not allowed.

If you are completely honest you may be allowed to keep your account, with a warning not to do it again. You may have other penalties, such as being required to pay for the ticket used (with cash, rather than points).

Let us know how it goes, and if you need any further advice, feel free to come back here.

 

[penu]

Hi and welcome to AFF!

Sorry to hear your news.

Unfortunately the terms and conditions of the Qantas frequent flyer program don't allow you to redeem points for flights unless it is for yourself or someone 'related'. The list of 'related' people are basically your partner and extended family.

On booking you need to select the relationship between you and the person you are redeeming the ticket for.

If they are a family member, this will be resolved fairly quickly. Qantas may ask for proof of the relationship.

If they were not a family member, the worst case scenario will be that your account is permanently closed and you will lose all your points.

Your best course of action is to be honest and explain why you booked the ticket for your colleague and why you selected a family relationship that was not valid.

Working in your favour will be that the ticket was a gift. Any money changing hands, or any barter (the ticket as a gift but they buy you something in return) is not allowed.

If you are completely honest you may be allowed to keep your account, with a warning not to do it again. You may have other penalties, such as being required to pay for the ticket used (with cash, rather than points).

Let us know how it goes, and if you need any further advice, feel free to come back here.

Thanks for your feedback. I was under the impression that only points transfer was banned. I didn't realise flight booking was also not allowed.

Let's see how it goes but the biggest challenge is to get a response from them as they don't bother.

 

[sudoer]

I didn't realise flight booking was also not allowed.

When making a points booking, you are asked for the traveller's relationship to you. What did you enter for this field?



My suggestion is to own up to it and plead Qantas for forgiveness. You won't get anywhere playing the "I didn't know" game.

 

[Pushka]

I’m just wondering how Qantas determined there is no family relationship if it’s a once off booking.

 

[sudoer]

I’m just wondering how Qantas determined there is no family relationship if it’s a once off booking.

Wouldn't surprise me if it was triggered by conditions like:

- Both OP and gift recipient have travelled on bookings connected to their work ABN/QBR account
- OP and gift recipient have never travelled together on a booking without ABN attached
- QBR account has >100 staff
- Surnames don't match

If those conditions are met I'd say more times than not you have a non family relationship.

 

[penu]

When making a points booking, you are asked for the traveller's relationship to you. What did you enter for this field?

View attachment 181025

My suggestion is to own up to it and plead Qantas for forgiveness. You won't get anywhere playing the "I didn't know" game.

I selected sister from memory. She is work colleague and I know her for over 10 years.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks for your feedback. I was under the impression that only points transfer was banned. I didn't realise flight booking was also not allowed.

Let's see how it goes but the biggest challenge is to get a response from them as they don't bother.

They will get back to you. But as you are in error here, there’s not a lot you can do to speed it up. Hopefully the outcome is satisfactory.

 

[Lynda2475]

Surnames don't match

This on its own wouldnt be enough to prove not related, siblings often have different surnames due to marriage, children often have different surname to their mother etc

 

[sudoer]

This on its own wouldnt be enough to prove not related, siblings often have different surnames due to marriage, children often have different surname to their mother etc

Well aware of this - hence the other three conditions.

 

[Pushka]

Well aware of this - hence the other three conditions.

I’ve made bookings for DIL that matches three of those conditions.

 

[sudoer]

I’ve made bookings for DIL that matches three of those conditions.

Perhaps one day Qantas will ask you to prove your relationship, which they are within their rights to do.

I'm not claiming to know exactly how Qantas decides to block accounts, but rather give an example of fraud detection flags which might come into play on once-off bookings like this.

 

[Denali]

I’m just wondering how Qantas determined there is no family relationship if it’s a once off booking.

Considering these days "family" is splittered into halves, steps, common law, ex steps ect, what exactly is "family".

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Considering these days "family" is splittered into halves, steps, common law, ex steps ect, what exactly is "family".

Oh! That bit’s easy... it’s ‘family’ as defined by Qantas

 

[RichardMEL]

I selected sister from memory. She is work colleague and I know her for over 10 years.

So did it not occur to you that this was incorrect(ie: basically a lie). You may consider her a "work family" / friend but I do not think that logic will hold.

Mind you, I think the whole family relationship thing is ridiculous, but that is the QFF Conditions as they currently exist so you have, actually, commited fraud.

Has this friend flown this flight on points or not?

I agree with the earlier suggestions to be honest as to what you did, and why (though since you deliberately selected an close family relationship that's not going to go in your favour).

 

[RichardMEL]

Side point - you've left it quite late to try and get points seats for travel at Christmas!! Depending on the route you'd like (if your account was open) it would probably be pretty difficult to secure seats. I realise this is not the main issue here, but just a comment

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So did it not occur to you that this was incorrect(ie: basically a lie). You may consider her a "work family" / friend but I do not think that logic will hold.

Mind you, I think the whole family relationship thing is ridiculous, but that is the QFF Conditions as they currently exist so you have, actually, commited fraud.

I'm not sure whether this would be considered 'fraud'. It is certainly a breach of the terms and conditions. Whether or not crimial liability would attach to such a transaction is an interesting consideration... but as the points 'belong' to the member (despite whatever Qantas might say to the contrary), I dunno if it would satisfy the fraud test. Doubtful something of this - relatively minor - nature would ever make it to the courts for us to find out.

 

[RichardMEL]

fair point MEL_Traveller, but it could well be that QF *may* consider it fraud in respect if they think the reward ticket redeemedd for a non related individual then resulted in an exchange of money for this.. which is a further violation of the TY&C (as discussed in other threads).

Of course just because the account is suspended by the "Fraud team" doesn't have to meanthey consider it fraud, but clearly the red flag has gone up, and it's most certainly a violation of te QFF T&C at the very least.

As for the points belonging to the member? I do not entirely agree. QFF points are a closed system currency owned by and controlled by QF. They can do whatever they like with them and we as members have very little say. It's not like I can turn those points into coins or something else I can put in a box under the bed and they have a value for exchange set by QF,.

But that's a seperate discussion...