US Airways "Special Offer" Extortion To Reinstate Forfeited Miles Phoenix Arizona

I received the following in an e-mail from the US Airways Dividend Miles Service Center today informing me that my frequent flyer miles had been "forfeited" (read STOLEN by them). As a "special offer to me" (extortion) they offered to reinstate my stolen (oops, I mean "forfeited" miles) if I gave them $100, booked a flight with them or acquired their credit card and made a charge on it.

I told them I didn't think it was right that they could just take away my miles and inform me after the fact. They told me that they had sent me two (2) e-mails prior to this one. I never got them. I asked them to resend them. Conveniently (for them), they informed me that they didn't have them anymore and, therefore, couldn't resend them. When I asked them to confirm my e-mail address, they asked me what it was. When I told them they said "that's not the one we have on file", then corrected themselves and said "it was the one they had on file" after I told them I kept screenshots of any changes I made to the account. All of this on tape.

Somehow, I don't feel "special"... just extorted. The other funny thing is that I had just bought a ticket on US Airways online for my wife the day before I received this e-mail. I'd tell you when I'll be buying my next ticket from US Airways, however, they don't print the actual day that Hades freezes over in my planner! :( So for 10,144 frequent flyer miles, US Airways has managed to lose a customer who has been a US Airways dividend miles member since 1990. Brilliant...

E-mail follows...

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Important notice

THOMAS Mxxxx
Dividend Miles #: XXXXXXX

Get your Dividend Miles back

Our records indicate that 10,144 miles were forfeited because your last activity date (02-25-2007) was more than 18 months ago. Learn more about our membership policy.

As a special offer to you, we're giving you an opportunity to reinstate your forfeited miles. To get your miles back, you can:

- Earn miles by flying on US Airways
- Sign up and earn miles with one of our credit or debit cards*

Take advantage of either of these ways to reactivate your account and we'll automatically reinstate your miles. Your account will stay active for another 18 months. In order to reinstate your miles by flying on US Airways, you must fly at least one leg of your itinerary by 11-29-2008.

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Tom
Corning, New York
U.S.A.