Qantas Online Access - Blocked - Error due to someone attempting to hack my account

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spuderump

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Jul 30, 2014
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Hi All,

Just seeking some help or assistance. Basically last Monday I went to login to my QFF account and got a message saying please contact our Qantas Frequent Flyer Team to discuss your account. Anyway I assumed it was just an error or something. I called and I was advised that there was an attempt to login to my account from somewhere else in the world numerous times, so due to this they blocked online access. I thanked them and asked if they can just reset my pin. I was told not at this stage and my account was with the fraud team and they would get in contact with me within 5 business days. Anyway 5 business days on, still haven't heard anything, so I call up again and told same thing, they would call me urgently and would be within 24hrs. Again, yesterday passes and yep - nothing. Call them again today, now I am told I would be contacted within 48hrs from the fraud team to reset or re setup my account.

I obviously expressed my concern that it has almost been 2 weeks and they cannot simply reset an account and when I asked to be put through so someone in the "fraud" team I was told it was not possible. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can rectify this so I can gain access to my online account?
 
I have previously had my account blocked twice due to someone repeatedly trying to log in with the wrong PIN (it was before they introduced two factor authentication). However, on both occasions they simply reset my log in when I called up. I was quite concerned, especially the second time, but strangely the person I spoke to said it was probably just someone with a similar QFF number making a mistake when entering their details (possible, I suppose, but not sure why that would be a more likely explanation than someone trying to hack my account). Anyway, I didn't lose any points and it hasn't happened in a few years now. I do have two factor authentication at this stage though - do you?

I'm also curious about the fact that this happened because there was an attempt to login to your account from somewhere else in the world numerous times. Like many frequent fliers, I am frequently "somewhere else in the world", so what would make QF believe that a login attempt from somewhere else was not me? I wonder if they have evidence that someone actually accessed your account and attempted fraudulent transactions?

In any case, I don't really know what you can do other than keep calling.

EDIT: do you use any services like AwardWallet that automatically track your FF points? If so, those services automatically login to your account (and presumably do so "from somewhere else in the world"). I have had to disable AwardWallet checking my QF account since enabling two factor authentication, as I was continuously waking up to texts with QF security codes. It took me a while to work out what was causing it.
 
I believe when they said "other areas in the world" they meant one login attempt was in Hong Kong and then 5 minutes later it was in Europe somewhere, almost as like a VPN was being used or something.

Anyway, every time I try to call I just get fobbed off, I think the annoying thing is the guarantees I will be called within X amount of days and it never happens.
 
I believe when they said "other areas in the world" they meant one login attempt was in Hong Kong and then 5 minutes later it was in Europe somewhere, almost as like a VPN was being used or something.

Anyway, every time I try to call I just get fobbed off, I think the annoying thing is the guarantees I will be called within X amount of days and it never happens.

Ok - I can see how that would be suspicious. Not sure if you saw my edit to my previous post re AwardWallet etc? If you use more than one such service, that could result in multiple logins from different places, potentially almost simultaneously.
 
By the way, is there any possibility that you have done something that might be considered to be in breach of the QFF T&Cs?

Others have previously reported having accounts blocked and being dealt with "by the fraud team" because of this. For example, refer to this thread:

 
I just received an email from Qantas saying it is in relation to a transfer in breach of the family transfer policy. Makes sense, I transferred some points to my cousins family member who I got along well with. I have emailed back to Qantas to explain the stuff up and that I will not be in breach again.

Does anyone know how often they will cancel your QFF due to this or if they allow discretion and provide a final opportunity etc.

Stupid, Yes I know, I should have been more careful, but I do not want to lose my QFF points and other loyalty bonuses.
 
I don’t know what action they are likely to take, but I’d imagine some others on here would know more.

This is just speculation, but it may depend on the extent of the issue ( eg how many occurrences, how many points). I think your biggest problem could be that they will suspect you have sold the points.

I must admit your description of the relationship here doesn’t inspire confidence on this front (IMHO). Did you genuinely just give the points away to this person in return for nothing? I think that’s a question QF will ask.
 
This is a fairly regular thing and there are a few threads on here with people who have been in similar situations (i.e. deliberately selling/buying or in your case just transferring them to someone you know but isn't family). People have reported success doing what you have done just coming clean and explaining the situation but YMMV. In other instances people (recipients of the points) have been able to get their accounts re-activated but they lose the transferred points or have any resulting rewards bookings cancelled etc.

It's due to the rampant uprising of points selling a few years ago. As a result Qantas have become ultra sensitive when it comes points transfers.
 
Thanks all, it was actually just provided on the basis that he would transfer them back when he got them via a credit card deal, at the time I had 300,000, so 20,000 to me wasn't much. I was just doing the nice thing. Let's see what they say I guess.
 
Thanks all, it was actually just provided on the basis that he would transfer them back when he got them via a credit card deal, at the time I had 300,000, so 20,000 to me wasn't much. I was just doing the nice thing. Let's see what they say I guess.

That's actually a good justification IMHO. If you'd said "I just decided to give away 100,000 points to someone who isn't related to me, and not even a particularly close friend", then TBH I'd have serious trouble believing it. However, your explanation is believable and I would say on the very low end of the range of "offenses" like this. Hopefully they take a lenient view.
 
I just received an email from Qantas saying it is in relation to a transfer in breach of the family transfer policy. Makes sense, I transferred some points to my cousins family member who I got along well with. I have emailed back to Qantas to explain the stuff up and that I will not be in breach again.

You could also ask for leniency on the basis that if you'd transferred the points to your cousin, and they transferred them on to their family member, there wouldn't have been a breach - and next time, that's the course of action you will take.
 
Thanks all. Here is hoping is all good, I am sure it will be. In any event in my response I have taken full ownership and have promised to not breach their T&C's again in the future.
 
I just received an email from Qantas saying it is in relation to a transfer in breach of the family transfer policy. Makes sense, I transferred some points to my cousins family member who I got along well with. I have emailed back to Qantas to explain the stuff up and that I will not be in breach again.

Does anyone know how often they will cancel your QFF due to this or if they allow discretion and provide a final opportunity etc.

Stupid, Yes I know, I should have been more careful, but I do not want to lose my QFF points and other loyalty bonuses.
believe me there are many company's that book their staff using QFF points....amazing how many first cousins some people had!!lol . Same as when the FF member passes away, ensure the points are used or transferred before QFF are notified or they will be lost!
 
believe me there are many company's that book their staff using QFF points....amazing how many first cousins some people had!!lol . Same as when the FF member passes away, ensure the points are used or transferred before QFF are notified or they will be lost!

Do you mean business owners using their own personal QFF points to book for their staff, who are not eligible family members? If so, that is a seriously bad idea - it would be only a matter of time before they are caught, and if they have been repeat offenders, it seems unlikely that QFF would be very understanding about it.

Or are you referring to points earned via Qantas Business Rewards? Note that the latter can be transferred to any individual's QFF account - the eligible family member rules don't apply in that case.
 
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Do you mean business owners using their own personal QFF points to book for their staff, who are not eligible family members? If so, that is a seriously bad idea - it would be only a matter of time before they are caught, and if they have been repeat offenders, it seems unlikely that QFF would be very understanding about it.

Or are you referring to points earned via Qantas Business Rewards? Note that the latter can be transferred to any individual's QFF account - the eligible family member rules don't apply in that case.
this was prior to the Qantas Business Rewards program!
 
update....

Now my partners account has also been blocked!

Got an email saying we both need to provide government issued ID proving our relationship? WTF!! we sent in our drivers license and was told that is not sufficient even though it has us both living at the same address. There is no such thing as "government issued ID" for a Defacto.

Other option is a Stat Dec which is outrageous just to prove that we are in a Defacto Relationship.
 
update....

Now my partners account has also been blocked!

Got an email saying we both need to provide government issued ID proving our relationship? WTF!! we sent in our drivers license and was told that is not sufficient even though it has us both living at the same address. There is no such thing as "government issued ID" for a Defacto.

Other option is a Stat Dec which is outrageous just to prove that we are in a Defacto Relationship.

You're correct, it doesn't make sense to ask for govt issued ID to prove a de facto relationship.

I agree it would be outrageous for them to ask for proof of a de facto relationship routinely, but to be fair, you have already admitted breaching their rules so I guess they now feel entitled to ask for proof that other transfers were kosher. Do you have any utility bills or bank statements etc in joint names? Or a lease?
 
You're correct, it doesn't make sense to ask for govt issued ID to prove a de facto relationship.

I agree it would be outrageous for them to ask for proof of a de facto relationship routinely, but to be fair, you have already admitted breaching their rules so I guess they now feel entitled to ask for proof that other transfers were kosher. Do you have any utility bills or bank statements etc in joint names? Or a lease?

I do but if they have knocked by our ID's we will likely have to go down the Stat Dec path. Just annoying really as they also require it to only be signed by a JP which means more time and hassle out of something they can prove on their end. They can see everytime I travel I am with my partner, we both live at the same address ete etc.

Just unfair they have done the same thing to her account too and making her prove the same thing.

Anywho Stat Dec will have to do.
 
This will take patience. QF is yet to advise the outcome.

Looking at what seems to have happened in relation to the T&C, is it unreasonable for QF to start seeking substantiation of relationships, where QFF points have been used to redeem awards for your family, whether de facto or not? They are just after evidence of the relationship with yourself.

While I may have missed where your partner would fit into this, I’m guessing it’s because you have redeemed points for partner’s award flights at some point. However, you are ready to address that one (by Stat Dec).

Unfortunately, it all goes back to what happened with non-family.
 
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