Erroneously received American Airlines eVouchers.
August 20, 2014 2:24 AM Subscribe
I received emails containing American Airlines eVouchers. It looks like the vouchers were meant for a family with a last name similar to mine. What to do?
Should I contact the airline? Should I delete them and never think about them again? Or should I go for it and enjoy an adrenaline fueled but ethically ambiguous walk from the check in desk to the boarding gate?
Should I contact the airline? Should I delete them and never think about them again? Or should I go for it and enjoy an adrenaline fueled but ethically ambiguous walk from the check in desk to the boarding gate?
It's not in the least bit ethically ambiguous to use them. It's stealing.
posted by taff at 2:47 AM on August 20, 2014 [8 favorites]
posted by taff at 2:47 AM on August 20, 2014 [8 favorites]
Call AA, explain the situation to them, and see what they say. It's a bit odd they emailed you directly, so it could be possible it's related to some kind of delay/inconvenience you went through.
Best case scenario: they may determine that, even if the vouchers weren't originally issued for you, they'll let you keep them and redeem them for future travel.
Worst case scenario: they'll void the vouchers and reissue them to the right people. You'll lose vouchers you allegedly weren't entitled to in the first place.
Bonus to the worst case scenario: good karma points!
posted by dubious_dude at 2:51 AM on August 20, 2014 [4 favorites]
Best case scenario: they may determine that, even if the vouchers weren't originally issued for you, they'll let you keep them and redeem them for future travel.
Worst case scenario: they'll void the vouchers and reissue them to the right people. You'll lose vouchers you allegedly weren't entitled to in the first place.
Bonus to the worst case scenario: good karma points!
posted by dubious_dude at 2:51 AM on August 20, 2014 [4 favorites]
Don't steal some family's vacation. There is nothing about that that's OK.
Another possibility is that the voucher emails are Step 1 of a con, but presumably you'd be alerted to that once asked for your credit card number...
posted by duffell at 3:52 AM on August 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
Another possibility is that the voucher emails are Step 1 of a con, but presumably you'd be alerted to that once asked for your credit card number...
posted by duffell at 3:52 AM on August 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
Do you cash checks with other folks name on them that wind up in your postal mail box? The vouchers aren't yours, delete them or do a good deed and try and report it to the airline, or hunt down the intended recipient via social media.
posted by TheAdamist at 4:31 AM on August 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by TheAdamist at 4:31 AM on August 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
A good rule of thumb for both this situation and life: "how would I feel if someone acted the way I'm preparing to act to my nearest and dearest loved one?"
"Contacting the airline" = "wow, people CAN be decent! My faith in humanity is temporarily buoyed! And my Pee-paw's fishing trip ISN'T wrecked!"
"Stealing the vouchers" = "people are horrible fucking animals. I wish the super-plague would wipe us all off the planet. Poor, poor Pee-paw."
posted by julthumbscrew at 4:43 AM on August 20, 2014 [7 favorites]
"Contacting the airline" = "wow, people CAN be decent! My faith in humanity is temporarily buoyed! And my Pee-paw's fishing trip ISN'T wrecked!"
"Stealing the vouchers" = "people are horrible fucking animals. I wish the super-plague would wipe us all off the planet. Poor, poor Pee-paw."
posted by julthumbscrew at 4:43 AM on August 20, 2014 [7 favorites]
You really want to make sure this isn't a scam!
posted by mareli at 4:52 AM on August 20, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by mareli at 4:52 AM on August 20, 2014 [2 favorites]
Do not use any contact information in the email. Call the American Airlines reservation number on their web site.
posted by grouse at 5:10 AM on August 20, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by grouse at 5:10 AM on August 20, 2014 [5 favorites]
If you tried to use them American would figure it out anyway, when your name didn't match the ones on the vouchers.
Call them and tell them they sent the vouchers to the wrong address.
posted by something something at 5:26 AM on August 20, 2014 [2 favorites]
Call them and tell them they sent the vouchers to the wrong address.
posted by something something at 5:26 AM on August 20, 2014 [2 favorites]
Amazing free gift on the Internet almost always equals scam.
posted by COD at 6:00 AM on August 20, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by COD at 6:00 AM on August 20, 2014 [2 favorites]
A huge number of people are unaware of their own email addresses. An even huger number of people can't type for shit, especially on their phones. It's probably just a typo in the email address field. Go to AA's website, find their contact form, and tell them you got the vouchers in error.
posted by jacquilynne at 7:42 AM on August 20, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by jacquilynne at 7:42 AM on August 20, 2014 [2 favorites]
A huge number of people are unaware of their own email addresses. An even huger number of people can't type for shit, especially on their phones.
Seconding this. I have an e-mail account that is my username at "xyz.com". The lack of periods, numbers, dashes, etc. has proven to be a downside. Everybody and anyone who doesn't know their e-mail address or shares a name that's similar to my username, seems to think that this e-mail address is theirs, and I get all kinds of crap delivered to it that's clearly not meant for me.
Normally, I just ignore them or unsubscribe, but in this case, I'd probably just let AA know that these aren't for me. Speak to a supervisor about it if you need to; I've often confused first-line customer service reps.
posted by PearlRose at 10:57 AM on August 20, 2014
Seconding this. I have an e-mail account that is my username at "xyz.com". The lack of periods, numbers, dashes, etc. has proven to be a downside. Everybody and anyone who doesn't know their e-mail address or shares a name that's similar to my username, seems to think that this e-mail address is theirs, and I get all kinds of crap delivered to it that's clearly not meant for me.
Normally, I just ignore them or unsubscribe, but in this case, I'd probably just let AA know that these aren't for me. Speak to a supervisor about it if you need to; I've often confused first-line customer service reps.
posted by PearlRose at 10:57 AM on August 20, 2014
Are you sure these are from American Airlines? There's a whole fake airline voucher thing, y'know, including some for the bogus American Airways.
posted by sixpack at 12:46 PM on August 20, 2014
posted by sixpack at 12:46 PM on August 20, 2014
You send them back and say "Sorry, these were mis-addressed."
There is not one iota of moral ambiguity in this situation.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 1:05 PM on August 20, 2014
There is not one iota of moral ambiguity in this situation.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 1:05 PM on August 20, 2014
Response by poster: Seems like we have a consensus here.
Just to clarify, I found these emails in my spam folder, so the vouchers were issued over a month ago. I assume the situation of the intended recipients has long been resolved. Also, this was definitely not a scam/phish attempt. The emails have been deleted and I hope that this comment serves to dissuade anyone from thinking that I'm twirling my evil mustache on a beach while a family sleeps on the carpet of some far flung departures terminal.
Given the comments here, I'll have to think twice about accepting money from the banker next time I draw the "bank error in your favor" Community Chest card in Monopoly.
posted by outlaw of averages at 10:44 PM on August 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
Just to clarify, I found these emails in my spam folder, so the vouchers were issued over a month ago. I assume the situation of the intended recipients has long been resolved. Also, this was definitely not a scam/phish attempt. The emails have been deleted and I hope that this comment serves to dissuade anyone from thinking that I'm twirling my evil mustache on a beach while a family sleeps on the carpet of some far flung departures terminal.
Given the comments here, I'll have to think twice about accepting money from the banker next time I draw the "bank error in your favor" Community Chest card in Monopoly.
posted by outlaw of averages at 10:44 PM on August 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
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posted by Ms. Next at 2:25 AM on August 20, 2014 [4 favorites]