reneev40

I have tried to make several hotel reservations directly through the hotel because many request this, plus I feel I am better off reserving with hotel because they may give better room assignments. I noticed some hotels will request your credit card info via email to secure a reservations, and quite frankly I am uncomfortable doing this. Am I being too paranoid? Is this standard, I have no problem on a secure site entering my credit card data, however doing this via email scares me. Please help and let me know if this practice is appropriate.

thanks

Jean

I do this all the time. I also pay medical bills and make charitable contributions by writing/mailing my credit card info on a charge slip or donor card. Maybe I've just been supremely lucky.

That said, I use one card (not my primary CC) for all of these types of less-than-secure payments. Again, not sure if I've just been lucky, but I haven't had any fraud on that card (Citibank) in many years. It's also easy to notice things on a monthly statement that doesn't have many charges reflected.

jent103

Ditto Jean. I've done it and never had problems (I think this topic has been discussed here before as well; you might find it with a search). If you're really nervous, you might send the card number in one email and then expiration date/security code in a second.

jamikins

I do it all the time, if you are worried send it to then in several emails

Reading54

Sending credit card info over in an unsecured email message certainly increases your exposure to risk.
Ask the hotel if you can send CC info over via fax. If not, then as has already mentioned above, use a secondary credit card that you don't use as often at home, and send parts of info over in separate email.

WWK

I do it all the time, but send it in parts as explained above. And I think you get the best deals-most of the time- going through the hotel directly.

Myer

I do it but it's bad practice.

We check our credit card statements and haven't had any issues in years.

I also find that Citibank is very good at this.

I've received several calls from them regarding purchases that have been outside of our normal purchasing patterns.

I have also had them catch a few things. When this happens our cards are cancelled and new ones issued.

Just a few months ago we got a call from Citibank about a purchase in an Apple store thousands of miles away where we'd never been.

They were so fast that the purchase was denied. Of course, the card was immediately replaced and cancelled.

Several years ago my wife was visiting relatives and I had returned back home. I don't remember if we caught it on our statement or Citibank did.

However, my wife had already returned home and used her card here. On the same day a card with her number (an actual card and not a phone purchase) was used 2,000 miles away within 2 hours.

AJPeabody

Some credit cards will do a one time use credit card number so you can make a particular purchase and no other on that number, with the charge appearing on your real credit card. This is the best solution if you have paranoia. Otherwise fax it.