How a $425 Southwest Airlines ticket cost a scam victim $4,500

Southwest Airlines Ticket Scam

A scam victim was charged $4,500 for a $425 Southwest Airlines ticket after calling a fake customer service number.

Ethan Permaul, an American Airlines customer, missed his flight to Puerto Vallarta and called a number he thought was American Airlines' customer support. However, he reached a scam call center instead.

A fake airline call center scam turned a $428 Southwest Airlines ticket into a $4,500 nightmare charge.

The scammer, posing as an American Airlines agent, told Permaul a convoluted tale that ended with a replacement flight on Southwest Airlines, costing $4,500, which was supposedly going to be refunded.

Scam Details

Author's summary: A fake customer service number led to a $4,500 scam charge for a $425 Southwest Airlines ticket.

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Consumer Rescue Consumer Rescue — 2025-11-05

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