Candy

I have to guarentee some hotel reservations with a credit card number and am wondering if anyone's had any problems doing this. Is it safe or should I snail mail it to the hotel?

TvlPro

Don't email it... email is not secure.
Fax or tell them over the phone.

Amy

Send two or three e-mails, and break up the number among the e-mails.

Patrick

I have emailed my at least a hundred times for many, many hotel reservations. I've never had a problem and never will. The reason I say that is that my bank has guaranteed me that I am protected from any unauthorized use of the number. I realize it that happened there would be some inconvenience getting things straightened out, but until that happens I go on emailing it. I actually think the risk is greater locally. Just yesterday our local news covered a restaurant scam where a waitress was scaming customer credit cards and racking up charges on them.

George

I feel much more comfortable emailing my CC number, than giving the card to a waiter I don't know, in a restaurant where I've never been. Or to a desk clerk I don't know, in lodging where I've never stayed.

I do all three, of course, but if you think the issue through, you realize there are other things to consider.

If you snail-mail the card number to the hotel, that mail is liable to be opened by the minimum-wage clerk who handles that job....

brian

I have given my credit card number for everthing from air fare to European bus trips for the past 6 years and never had a problem. I wouldn't do it any other way.

madge

Why can't you just give it to them over the telephone?

Sara

Are you actually emailing it to them or using an encrypted secure site. I use the latter all the time. As for sending it in an email....I don't know if I would do that.

Paul Rabe

Would you give your credit card number over the phone? It's technologically easier for a stranger to tap into your phone line than to intercept your e-mail. If you're worried someone might be doing the latter, you should be more worried about the former.

As noted, fax would probably the best; as it's not easy to intercept a fax (although it could be done).

Candy

This is going to a family run hotel in Europe so thought that if it's safe to do it this way, it's less expensive than calling and perhaps getting someone who may not be fluent in English.

How about if someone else emails the card's number so it wouldn't be connected with my email site? As you can tell, I'm not knowledgable in what can be obtained through the internet by unscrupulous people. I'm not concerned that the hotel owners would use it fraudulently.

Bikky

Damn you people are paranoid. We're not talking about a social security number here?!! There is no problem emailing a credit card number whatsoever. The worst someone could do with that info is charge a bunch of stuff to it for which the cardholder would not be liable.

Uncle

Here Candy, give me your CC number and I'll take care of it for you. It's very safe.

Couple of tips

Candy,

I am not sure what kind of credit card you have, but mine offers virtual account numbers that are different from the number on the card. This makes it more difficult for a prespective thief to get a hold of any additional personal information.

Another possibility is to call your credit card and ask them to send it for you. Cite your concerns about emailing from your personal email and that it is going to Europe and see if they cannot provide any alternatives.

For those who seem to think credit card numbers being stolen is "no big deal" you are sorely mistaken. Identity theft is on the rise, and obtaining someone's credit card number can lead to a lot of other personal information, including, but not limited to social security numbers. If your credit card number fell into the wrong hands, damage could be done to your credit that could take years to sort through.