Purchasing a flight with someone else's frequent flyer points
 

Has anyone ever heard of companies that do this as part of their regular thing. A member of my family is planning to purchase such a ticket, and was told it is common in the States. It certainly is not common in my neck of the woods and sounds very strange and even fishy to me. He has been given a very good price for a ticket - and apparently some of the legs are bonus tickets purchased somehow. The airlines involved have confirmed the existence of the reservations and the ticket numbers, and we can see the details on the airline websites. But I am still worried. This was all done online and I don't know what is preventing the agent from cancelling the bookings after he is paid, although he did come recommended. I have googled his name and found no negative references, but also have not found a lot of details at all.
I am posting this on the US forum as well to get a wider audience.

Suggest you post this on the Air Travel forum.

I've done it. I've bought tickets for friends/family both when they are traveling with me and when not. Why would it be suspicious?

Big difference friend/family and stranger. Read the discussion on the other forums.

Thanks Thursdays for your suggestion. I posted on Air Travel and US and there are a few very interesting responses and links.

Thursdaysd- yes, there is a difference. It wasn't clear from the OP. I don't plan on reading the other discussion since I'm not the OP but thanks for the hint.