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Traveler Scammed Out of $5250 in Elaborate Airline Ticket Fraud

A traveler recently fell victim to a sophisticated online scam, losing $5250 while attempting to arrange special accommodations for her family's American Airlines flight. The incident highlights the dangers of fraudulent customer service numbers found through online searches. The individual, who wishes to remain anonymous, was trying to secure priority boarding and seating at the front of the plane for her autistic daughter and niece. She searched online for American Airlines customer service and dialed what she believed to be the official number. The scammer, identifying himself as 'Justin Conner,' gained her trust by accurately reciting details of her existing flight bookings, including the last four digits of the credit cards used for the original purchase. He then proposed a 'discount' of $150 per ticket, totaling $1600, but stated that to apply it, the original flight payments needed to be refunded and then re-charged. The victim provided her credit card details, and her husband's card was subsequently charged $5250 by a company named 'Flight Trip,' not American Airlines. An email confirming the 'refund' and new charge was sent, which she later learned was also part of the deception. Upon checking her American Airlines account, she discovered that the original flight bookings remained unchanged and valid. Realizing she had been scammed, she immediately contacted her credit card company to dispute the charge and lock her cards. American Airlines confirmed that the number she called was not theirs and that the scammer had no legitimate connection to their system. The airline has since password-protected her flight information to prevent further unauthorized changes. Authorities advise travelers to always verify customer service numbers directly from official airline websites and to be wary of unsolicited offers or requests for re-charging payments, especially if the transaction involves a different company name.