United Airlines Call Scam Sees Denver Passenger Lose $17,000

(DENVER) A rare and costly phone scam tied to a canceled United Airlines flight has left a Denver passenger out $17,000, raising urgent questions about call security at major carriers and the safety of customers who reach out for help during travel chaos. The case centers on Dan Smoker, a Denver resident who says he called United’s official customer service line after his June 2025 flight was canceled due to mechanical issues. What followed—hours on the phone, a rebooking to Europe, a premium economy upgrade, and a fake confirmation email—now sits at the heart of an ongoing internal investigation.

In June 2025, Smoker dialed United Airlines’ verified customer service number and spent more than three hours on the line with an agent who gave the name “David.” The agent rebooked Smoker’s family to Europe, upgraded the seats, and assured him that United would refund the original tickets. Smoker even received a confirmation email. But months later, when the refund never landed, he checked his credit card statement and found something alarming.

The bank records showed a legitimate United charge for the new booking—and a separate $17,000 charge from “AIRLINEFARE,” a third-party entity Smoker did not recognize. A closer look at the confirmation email uncovered multiple phishing red flags and a sender address from a non-United domain. What began as a routine call during a stressful delay became one of the year’s most unsettling airline fraud cases.

Discrepancy in call records and why it matters

Smoker’s phone logs confirm he called the official number. Yet United’s internal systems recorded only a 12-minute call, not the three hours Smoker remembers. That mismatch has fueled concern about whether a call could be intercepted or rerouted even when a customer dials an official line—a scenario consumer advocates say they have not seen documented at this scale.

While the technical path remains unclear, the impact on one family in Denver is very real. United Airlines has acknowledged multiple calls from Smoker’s number and says it has opened an internal investigation.

“We are reviewing this matter thoroughly. We’re committed to finding a fair resolution for him,” a United spokesperson said, while declining to explain how the call might have been redirected.

As of August 16, 2025, there has been no public resolution.

How the scheme fits a growing pattern

The Smoker case lands amid a broader surge in airline call scams during 2024–2025, especially around mass disruptions, cancellations, and rebookings—times when travelers are upset, rushed, and more likely to share payment details over the phone.

Key points about this pattern:
– Scammers often buy Google ads or manipulate search results so fake numbers appear to be the real thing.
– Victims call those fake numbers, are charged for services that should be free, and receive phony confirmation emails.
– The unusual twist here is that Smoker used United’s official number, according to his call logs.

Experts warn that urgency is a powerful tool for scammers. When a flight gets canceled, people want quick answers and a fast path to a new seat. That pressure can make even savvy travelers overlook small warnings, like odd email domains, awkward wording, or requests for extra payment on items the airline should handle at no extra cost after a carrier-caused cancellation.

Consumer investigators—including reporter Steve Staeger—have spotlighted Smoker’s story as a reminder that fraud can hit even when you think you did everything right. The message: slow down, confirm details, and double-check any email that claims to confirm a booking or refund.

Practical steps for travelers after cancellations

When flights get canceled, it’s easy to feel pressure. Take these steps to protect your money and your trip:

• Use only the official United app or united.com to rebook or request refunds. Avoid phone numbers found through ads or third-party sites.
• Check email addresses. Messages about your booking should come from a legitimate United domain (for example, addresses ending in @united.com).
• Be cautious if an agent asks for payment to rebook after a carrier-caused cancellation. Many services should be free under United’s current policies.
• Watch your credit card statements closely for several months after any disrupted trip or phone rebooking.
• If you suspect fraud, contact your card issuer right away to dispute suspicious charges, and ask for a new card number.
• File a report with United and keep a case number, screenshots, call logs, and emails.
• Report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission at https://www.ftc.gov/complaint to help investigators track patterns.

Pressure on airlines, regulators, and vendors

Smoker’s experience puts fresh pressure on airlines to audit their call center systems, including third-party vendors that handle phone routing and customer support. Consumer advocates argue carriers should:

• Implement stronger verification steps during calls
• Give clear warnings about known scams
• Make it easier for customers to confirm they are speaking with an authorized agent

There is also renewed interest among consumer protection agencies and cybersecurity authorities in whether new rules are needed to reduce fraud risks in airline customer service.

United’s policies provide additional context. The airline continues to offer flexible options that reduce the need for travelers to share payment details by phone:

• No change fees for most tickets, except Basic Economy and some international routes
• Full refund within 24 hours of booking if the trip is at least one week away

Crucially, United says rebookings and refunds should be processed through official channels, which gives travelers a safer path when plans fall apart.

The human toll and broader implications

For Smoker, the cost is not just the lost money—it’s the breach of trust.

“They have a system that people are supposed to trust. I trusted that system. There was no reason that I shouldn’t have trusted that system, and I was scammed as a part of it,” he said.

That sense of vulnerability hits hard for families heading overseas, where a fake confirmation can ripple into missed connections, lost vacation days, and last-minute expenses.

United Airlines says it is still investigating and is in contact with Smoker. Law enforcement and consumer agencies are watching too, given the unusual call records and the possibility of call interception or rerouting. Whether the final answer points to a technical exploit, a vendor issue, or something else, the stakes extend beyond one traveler in Denver.

The airline industry handles millions of customer interactions every week. In that environment, a single weak link—whether an ad that misdirects a phone number, a compromised system, or a poorly trained agent—can lead to large losses. For now, the safest path for customers remains simple:

1. Stick to the official app or website.
2. Slow down during stressful rebookings.
3. Keep records of every call and email.
4. If something feels off, assume it is and do not share payment details.