Is this a scam?

[Ikara]

I received the following email from Qantas this morning asking me to print off the attached receipt for "Seat Selection"

The booking reference was all numeric. I thought that references were alpha-numeric??

I have no bookings current, so I'm wondering if it is "real" and has been sent to the wrong email address, or it's a virus. The email looks pretty official and came from [email protected]. Has anyone received one of these?

I haven't and won't open the attachment.

JB
[TABLE="class: MsoNormalTable, width: 487"]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]
[TABLE="class: MsoNormalTable, width: 487"]
[TR]
[TD="width: 350, bgcolor: transparent"]

[/TD]
[TD="width: 300, bgcolor: transparent"]

Seat Selection Fee Receipt​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]The seat requests have been added to your booking.
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Please print the receipt provided
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[TABLE="class: MsoNormalTable, width: 486"]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 11"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

• You must print the receipt provided and bring it with you when you check-in at the airport, as proof of purchase. A print out of the 'Manage Your Booking' page will not be accepted.
• Your receipt will also be required if you need to apply for a refund.
• Requested seats cannot be guaranteed.

Changes to Your Booking:

• At any time up to three hours prior to scheduled departure, and prior to check-in, you may elect to move within the cabin to an available seat at the same value free of charge, to an available seat of higher value on payment of any price difference or to an available seat of lesser value with no refund. Additional payments are not available in points.
• If, in accordance with your fare rules, you choose to move to a different flight, or elect to be moved to a higher cabin on the same flight, the amount paid or points redeemed for an Advance Seat Selection or Exit Row seat is non-refundable.
• In the event that Qantas needs to change your seat for operational, safety or security reasons (even after boarding the aircraft), we will endeavour to seat you in a suitable alternative. We will look to seat your party together in similar seats e.g. if you have requested a window seat we will look to seat you in another window seat. In the event you are moved to a higher cabin class by Qantas, and Advance Seat Selection or Exit Rows previously purchase is non-refundable.

Refunds:

• Advance Seat Selection and Exit Rows are non-transferable.
• Advance Seat Selection and Exit Rows are non-refundable unless your seat is changed by Qantas for operational, safety or security reasons (even after boarding) and we are unable to offer you a suitable alternative, or you have been moved to a flight not operated by Qantas.
• Advance Seat Selection and Exit Rows refund conditions are independent of fare refund conditions.
• Refunds can only be requested after departure of relevant flight.

Exit Row Seating:

• Check-in for Exit Rows is only available at airport check-in counters.
• To sit in an exit row seat you must be at least 15 years old, not seated with an infant, and be willing and be able to assist in an emergency.
• Qantas has the sole discretion, at chck-in or boarding, to determine whether a passenger meets the to sit in an exit row seat. If the passenger does not meet the, they will be assigned a regular seat and the amount paid or the points redeemed is non-refundable.
• If between the date of purchasing an exit row seat and 24 hours before travel, you become unable to fulfil the to sit in an exit row, contact your local Qantas Office immediately. You will be transferred to a regular seat, and the additional amount paid or points redeemed for an exit row seat may be refunded.

* You must be a memberof the Qantas Frequent Flyer program to earn and redeem points. A joining feemay apply. Menbership and points are subject to the Qantas Frequent Flyerprogram terms and conditions.
[TABLE="class: MsoNormalTable, width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Do not forward this e-mail as it contains your personal information and links to your booking.
Do not reply to this e-mail as it is used to deliver e-mails only.
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Qantas Airways Limited ABN 16 009 661 901
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[Ausbt]

I think it's good - I just did an ABN search for you and it seems legit

 

[markis10]

I think it's good - I just did an ABN search for you and it seems legit

Given the OP has no bookings with Qantas, I beg to differ, the ABN means nothing.

Its also not the first time:

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/qantas-warns-customers-over-email-scam-20121210-2b4zz.html

 

[simongr]

If you were going to start a scam then using as much genuine information as possible is a good start.

 

[Ikara]

Thanks markis10. That looks like the one. I'll delete it now.

Many thanks for the quick response.

JB

 

[Ausbt]

Indeed. Seriously though, in less enlightened times folk were taken in by all sort of direct-email campaigns and they are well publicised (as you have stated). It surprises me that anyone would accept any sort of unsolicited direct email as anything else other than a scam. Banks, timeshare schemes, lotteries they are a never-ending stream in my Junk mail box I can assure you. Similarly I take little notice of missives from Q or VA - if I need info I log into my account.

 

[docjames]

Scam. Have received previously.

Delete, delete, delete (or forward to Qantas for investigation!).

 

[oz_mark]

Well, for what it's worth, this is a scam that was doing the rounds last year. See Qantas warns customers over email scam

 

[love_the_life]

Anyone can do an ABN look up to make a scam email look more legitimate - hope you deleted the email.
IMO it looked very dodgy. I have never ever had one from QF requesting me to print off an attachment as proof (for interest did you notice a file extension on the attachment?).

Further to that I would either call on Red Roo to follow up or contact QFF as it looks like something fishy is happening.

 

[medhead]

Nothing to add except to note that booking references are alpha-numeric, but that doesn't mean that they will always have a mix of letters and numbers. They are basically a code with each of the 6 digits incrementing like a clock, I guess. So, for example, my last 5 bookings made within about an hour of each other all started with 35 followed by B, D and H. It is not uncommon to get an all letter booking reference since there at 26 letters to 9 numbers (I don't ever recall a zero and it is probably confusing with Oh). Much less common to get all numbers, but I assume it's possible.

 

[moa999]

For what its worth.

Email from: - Never rely on it... Easy to fake.
ABN/ Company details - Easy to fake.

Note that all Qantas and indeed Virgin, itins, etickets etc will include your real name in the body of the email.
i.e. a clear sign it is a personal email, and not randomly generated spam/viruses.

 

[Ikara]

Again, thanks for all the replies guys. Email has been deleted without opening the .zip file attached.

JB

 

[medhead]

Again, thanks for all the replies guys. Email has been deleted without opening the .zip file attached.

JB

.zip is another warning sign. something you print should almost always be a .pdf Zip is not a primary document format, but is used to hide dodgy stuff.

 

[Red Roo]

I can confirm that this email is a scam and should be deleted immediately. Qantas never send Seat Selection receipts as a .zip file, nor is [email protected] a legitimate Qantas email address.

While imitation may be considered flattery in some situations, this matter is being taken very seriously and has been reported.

 

[Ikara]

Thanks Red Roo.

Admin can probably close this thread now.

Thanks
JB

 

[Flying mermaid]

It is getting harder and harder not to fall for one of these scams - I have received a huge no of different ones this year hotel confirmations, all sorts of airline ones, FedEx parcels. the one I nearly fell for last week was an email from Mms@telstra. The first thing I do now if unsure is do a search on the net. E.g mms@telstra scam. This usually verifies quite quickly if it is a known one and they usually are.

 

[Anna]

I got this today too but instantly thought it was a fake because of the non standard booking reference (8 digits, no letters).

 

[love_the_life]

Again, thanks for all the replies guys. Email has been deleted without opening the .zip file attached.

JB

That would alert me - a .zip file extension in an unsolicited email is almost universally malware.

 

[Red Roo]

I got this today too but instantly thought it was a fake because of the non standard booking reference (8 digits, no letters).

Good point Anna. While Qantas booking reference numbers are always made up of 6 digits, they can be all numbers.

Handy tip: Qantas never use 1 (one) or 0 (zero) in their booking references to avoid confusion.

 

[stewiejp]

So if the scammers typed the booking ref properly, which they now know how to do if they read this thread, people would have been confident opening the unsafe, dodgy as a $3 note zip file? Hope you have good virus detectors guys...