Passenger Loses 17,000 After Alleged United Call Center Scam

A Denver-area man says a call to United's official customer service line led to a loss of $17,328, highlighting call center security concerns.

Passenger Loses 17,000 After Alleged United Call Center Scam

Dan Smoker says United canceled his outbound flight from Denver to London for an 18-day trip. He called United's official customer service number and was told to place a large down payment of $17,328 on his credit card to secure a rebooking. The charge was said to be refundable and a new itinerary would be created.

9NEWS traced the incident and found red flags: the confirmation email came from a domain named Air-Reservations and the charge showed on the card from AIRLINEFARE in Iowa. United’s logged call shows a 13-minute session, while Smoker’s records indicate a three hour and 16 minute call. The airline is reviewing the matter. Possible explanations include impersonation by a scammer with access to the airline’s system, or a breach in call center processes that allowed a fraudulent booking while the customer’s money was kept.

The incident shows how digital travel systems can be both convenient and risky. When a single agent appears to affect a multi thousand dollar refund, it exposes gaps in identity checks and payment controls.

Industry observers say the case could attract regulatory scrutiny and push airlines to rethink call center security, data access, and customer verification. The goal should be to protect customers without slowing down service, even as scams grow more sophisticated in the digital age.

Highlights

The story is a reminder that convenience in travel tech comes with real risks that demand stronger safeguards.