Airline miles theft: It's a frustrating reality, and sometimes, it sparks a social media firestorm!
Loyalty program fraud is a serious issue, and unfortunately, it can manifest in various ways, including the theft of earned miles. This brings us to a captivating and quite amusing interaction that unfolded on social media. And, I must say, I know exactly whose side I'm on…
Influencer vs. Stolen Points: A Social Media Showdown
Becca Alves, known online as Petitevagabond, is an influencer who focuses on points and miles. A few days ago, she shared a rather shocking experience: her Alaska Airlines miles had been stolen.
Imagine the surprise when Becca received emails from Alaska, notifying her that a significant number of miles had been redeemed for flights from Belize to Los Angeles. She knew she didn't book those flights. So, naturally, she took action.
But here's where it gets intriguing: she Googled the names associated with the flights and discovered an influencer and her daughter, both from Los Angeles and currently in Belize.
"This has to be a glitch," Becca thought. "There's no way someone with hundreds of thousands of followers would risk everything for free flights."
Right?
Initially, Becca was respectful. She didn't name the person involved. She attempted to contact her via email and direct message, but received no response. So, she then posted the flight itinerary, including the passengers' names.
It seems public pressure worked, because the person in question eventually responded to the email. However, instead of providing a clear explanation, she claimed to be a victim as well, stating that her information had been compromised. But this response didn't actually address the central question: why were her name and her daughter's on a flight booked with stolen miles?
After more pressure, the person finally responded publicly, posting a series of messages:
- "I’m not sure why this was taken to the internet when I was actively sending my receipt. The claims being made are inaccurate."
- "This feels less about clarity and more about creating attention, which is disappointing. Posting this publicly was unnecessary and comes across as an attempt to be messy and damage my name."
- "I don’t usually feel the need to explain myself, but I won’t allow misinformation to be spread! Cyberbullying especially when directed at a child’s page is unacceptable. I don’t see any justification for targeting a child or attempting to turn this into public harassment. This crosses a line."
- "I’m disappointed this has turned into a spectacle. I would never allow anyone to tarnish what we have worked so hard to build. My focus has always been integrity, respect, and protecting my family. It’s truly unfortunate to be placed in this situation, especially as a victim of someone compromising my personal information. I paid full price for my tickets, and I would never jeopardize my reputation over something like this. I take integrity very seriously!"
But here's a twist: Despite the claims of "actively sending receipts," Becca stated that she never received them.
Controversy Alert: The responses to these social media posts are quite interesting. The vast majority of people seem to side with Becca, while some question her decision to "dox" the other person.
Personally, I think Becca handled the situation respectfully. She gave the woman a chance to respond privately, which was ignored. Now, the accused is doubling down in a way that seems a bit… odd.
- If you claim to have receipts proving the tickets were purchased legitimately, then provide them publicly. Don't just say you're "actively sending" them.
- Accusing Becca of cyberbullying a child is a stretch. The child is part of the mother's social media presence, and that doesn't excuse bad behavior.
And this is the part most people miss… I can't say with certainty what happened here. However, people don't accidentally end up with tickets booked out of someone else's account. It's just not how it works.
I don't believe this person is some sort of malicious hacker. The most likely scenario is that she purchased discounted tickets through a third party or consolidator, and may or may not have known the tickets were booked using stolen points.
A Possible Solution: The best approach – and the one that would reflect well on the accused – would be to admit what happened (if my suspicion is correct). For example: "I thought I was just buying a discounted ticket through a consolidator, and didn't realize it was booked using stolen points." It's much better to own up to a mistake than to deny it without offering any explanation.
I'm curious to see if this is the end of the confrontation or if there's more to come…
In a nutshell: A points influencer discovered that miles had been stolen from her Alaska Airlines account. She quickly identified the issue and even had the names of the passengers. One of them was an influencer with a massive following.
She tried to resolve the issue privately, but after receiving no response, she made the situation public. However, the other influencer has denied any wrongdoing, even accusing Becca of cyberbullying. Yet, she has failed to provide any public proof to support her claims.
What are your thoughts on this situation? Do you think Becca handled it correctly? Share your opinion in the comments below!
