Overview

• Dan Smoker sought to rebook a canceled May flight and was told to pay $17,328 upfront with a refund promised by United, only to see the charge processed by a third-party merchant labeled “AIRLINEFARE.”
• United acknowledges receiving calls from Smoker’s number but its internal records log only a 12-minute call, sparking a review into possible call-routing errors or fraud.
• The refund confirmation email and merchant descriptor both lacked official United branding, raising red flags about the legitimacy of the transaction.
• Smoker has filed a fraud dispute with his credit card issuer and remains uncertain whether the bank or United will ultimately absorb the loss.
• Travel industry experts highlight a common scam tactic of using manipulated search results and fake phone numbers to divert customers from genuine airline call centers.