Denver man called United Airlines real customer service — then got transferred to someone who took $17K. How?

Dan Smoker’s dream household journey to Europe turned into a nightmare—not because of a cancellation, but due to a call he made to United Airlines.

After his initial flight was canceled due to mechanical points, Smoker spent over three painstaking hours on the cellphone with United attempting to rebook. He related with an agent named “David,” who promised to charge for the new ticket, upgraded Smoker to premium financial system and said the unique price could be refunded. A affirmation electronic mail adopted — addressing refund timelines, oddly, from a non-United electronic mail.

Months later, no refund had arrived. Upon investigating his credit card invoice, he discovered the professional expenses from United Airlines for Smoker’s rebooked flight, along with another charge for $17,000 listed under the alias “AIRLINEFARE.”

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fraudmed — but how?

After client investigator Steve Staeger examined the affirmation electronic mail, he immediately observed a number of crimson flags indicating a attainable rip-off.

“I figured Dan had been taken advantage of, thought maybe he’d Googled a number for United,” Staeger says in a WGRZ video, “but he didn’t.”

Both Smoker and Staeger confirmed utilizing call logs that Smoker had called United Airlines’ official customer service quantity, and the call log confirmed confirmed three hours he had spent on the cellphone had been with United.

“The more I looked into it, the more clear it became that it was a scam via United’s system somehow,” Smoker said. “Now how that happened? I have no idea.”

On United’s end, however, a consultant told him the three-hour call related with David was only in their inside call log for 12 minutes.

United confirms they logged a number of calls from Smoker’s quantity and have launched an inside review. However, the airline couldn’t clarify how the call was transferred to the alleged scammer or why their own logs recorded a a lot shorter call length. Smoker has filed a fraud report with his credit card supplier while awaiting decision.

“They have a system that people are supposed to trust,” Smoker said. “I trusted that system. There was no reason that I shouldn’t have trusted that system, and I was scammed as a part of it.”

“We’ve been in direct contact with the customer to understand what happened in this case,” a United spokeswoman said in a assertion. “We are reviewing this matter thoroughly. We’re committed to finding a fair resolution for him.” She didn’t reply any questions on how Smoker’s call may have been redirected.

A broader rise of airline scams

While Dan Smoker’s case stands out as he was in some way intercepted or rerouted through United’s offical line, it is half of a broader pattern of scammers cashing in on airline cancellations. The urgency and panic that comes with rebooking a cancelled flight makes airline clients a prime goal for phishing in scammers books.

Recent investigations by client watchdogs just like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and AARP show how widespread the menace has grow to be. The BBB points frequent alerts about pretend airline customer service numbers main to billing scams, and experiences via their fraud Tracker database notice how even trusted sources like Google can populate fraudulent numbers that impersonate airline assist.

fraudmers often buy top advert placement or manipulate Google search outcomes to insert pretend numbers at the top of your question—which means clients often assume they’re getting help, not pitching money.

AARP has documented comparable circumstances, where annoyed vacationers looking online for help ended up paying twice — once to the airline and again to a fraudster disguised as a reserving agent. fraudmers also exploit social media by replying to posts complaining about cancelled flights with phony gives of help.

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How customers can defend themselves

Airline scams are evolving so shortly that even vacationers who do the whole lot “by the book” can get caught in the entice. The best safety begins with understanding what crimson flags to look for.

Experts warn that it is best to only ever contact an airline through its official channels, either the quantity listed on its verified web site or inside the company’s app. Refund emails ought to always come from a professional area like @united.com, never a generic handle. And while it is perhaps second nature to sort “United customer service” into Google, that’s one of the largest risks: scammers buy advertisements or spoof listings to make pretend call middle numbers seem at the top of search outcomes.

Even if you’re on the cellphone with someone who appears helpful, bear in mind that real brokers received’t demand you pay upfront for a refund or push you to make uncommon financial transactions. If one thing about the interplay feels off — say, the call log exhibits a different size than what you bear in mind, or you may’t get a case quantity — it’s value hanging up and calling back through a different verified line.

Finally, timing issues. If you do see an surprising charge, don’t wait it out. Contact your bank immediately, dispute the charge, and let the airline know what occurred. Quick motion often makes the distinction between recovering your money and shedding it for good.

Bottom line

This case is alarming as Smoker’s wasn’t duped by a pretend Google itemizing or social media post — he dialed the official United line. Somehow, his call still went sideways.

You shouldn’t have to second-guess an airline’s own customer service line — yet scams are more and more blurring the traces between real systems and pretend ones. When trust in the system breaks down, vigilance turns into the traveler’s best protection.

By sticking to official channels, questioning odd requests, and appearing fast when one thing doesn’t add up, you may keep your dream journey from turning into a financial nightmare.

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This article offers info only and shouldn’t be construed as advice. It is supplied without guarantee of any type.