Matrexx

I am trying to make reservations through Fantasy Travel for my trip to Greece. They have requested that I send them a photocopy of my passport, both sides of credit card, birthdate etc in order to make the reservation. I have never had to do this before in making reservations for Italy. Is this normal? Have you had to do this before with Fantasy and other travel agents?

It just seems too much personal information have to give and I'm not comfortable giving it without some reassurance that this is how all travel agents do it in Europe.

chatham

Don't do it. I'd never do what they are asking you to do. Find another booking agent or do it yourself.

elaine

Both sides of credit card are often required in order to authorize charges, they need the code number above the signature.
Passport photocopy would make the date of birth redundant I would think.
Perhaps ask them why they need the passport information.

jchoats

Do not give them this information. I don't know where you live, but I assume it is in the U.S. You can book a trip to anywhere from anwhere in the U.S. I would talk to your local travel agent and I am sure they can take care of you.

I live in the northeast, and a couple of years ago a few of us booked a trip to Mexico through a travel agent that someone recommended. He worked for a company in New Orleans, so we had to do everything through him via the Internet or mail. I was against using this guy, and I was right. It was a total nightmare.

Use someone local so you have somone to go to should any problems arise.

StCirq

I sometimes work as a travel consultant, helping people plan trips to France, and I need all kinds of personal information in order to do the things people ask me to do. To make train resesrvations, for example, I need their CC information, including the special code; their birthdates, and their names as they appear on their passports. I'm not sure why the agency needs photocopies of the passports, but I can think of a number of reasons why they might (visa issues for countries that require one, for example). This doesn't strike me as unreasonable, though I would certainly ask specifically what they are going to do with the information.

elaine

Good point, StCirq
I just remembered that for my imminent trip to the Middle East, I had to supply my passport information in order to get a visa for Jordan, and these days information on tickets, visas, passports, etc all has to match.

tashak

I've run into this with foreign airlines (KenyaAirways) who don't have operations in the US. They wanted photocopies of credit card and either a passport or drivers license to issue a ticket.

I didn't do it, and I certainly wouldn't do it unless they can provide a believable, verifiable reason for needing it. Needing a passport if they are getting a visa for you-- yes. But just because they want some additional info about you for credit card verification--No.
Think about it-- all that info about you AND your travel is sitting in an office somewhere, and you have no idea how they are protecting it. I know that some agents, airlines, etc. are really worried about cc fraud, so they collect this info to protect themselves. Even if they are "honest" in their need to protect themselves, I doubt they have the security controls in place to adequately protect my information and prevent identity fraud. You will have given them everything they need for credit card fraud and nearly all that they need for identity fraud. If you are uncomfortable, just don't do it~! (And I think more people should ask questions and be uncomfortable. Hotels in Europe often need your passport number, but I've never had anyone ask for my birthdate. You can't get around that, but I would still try to minimize the info you give out and the number of people you give it to...And here is also where a PO Box for an address is a really nice thing to have!

Here's the funny thing: I asked them (Kenya Airways) if there was any other way I could get the ticket without providing this info, and they gave me the name of a U.S. travel agent who could issue tickets...I called them, did not have to provide any info except my credit card, AND the fare was $200 cheaper.

Matrexx

Thank you everyone. Your reassurance that this is just too much is nice. Fantasy Travel is very highly recommended by Fodorites so I wanted to use them. We are only booking a 2-day land tour advertised on their website. I have checked around and Key Tours and Chat Tours offer the same tour pretty much. Chat Tour can be booked via the website and uses Verisign (by Visa) so it's secure.

I think I'll just make my life easier and go with another company direct.

Thanks again.

FainaAgain

If you go to Ukraine from San Francisco, the russian-speaking agents here require to keep the original documents for some time while getting visas. I know about this from a woman who's passport was lost by an agent. So the requirement for copies doesn't sound unreasanable.

Eloise

Oh good heavens! I was going to make the argument for the travel agent that the passport information is, in any case, always requested by hotels and that they were trying to simplify check-in for you.

But all that to book a two-day land tour? No way!

GoSox

Actually the travel agent was probably making this request to protect themselves from errors and charge backs from the credit card. Unless you are personally known to them or can go into their office to sign a credit card charge slip, they are gathering the information to know you are who you say you are and that you are not using a stolen credit card.

Nikki

I made my hotel and land tour arrangements through Fantasy Travel in March and they requested the copies, which I faxed them. Birthdate is on the passport, so it doesn't seem like anything extra. I know that hotels in some countries have needed my passport when I checked in and I never hesitated giving it to them. I have to say that the copies made on my fax machine were pretty bad. If I remember correctly, the agent at Fantasy said they were required to get the passport copy by law, but I'm not sure about that.

In any event, the booking and the trip went very smoothly.

If you are only booking the land tour, though, going directly through one of the tour companies might even save you money, since Fantasy contracts with the tour companies. I would see what rate you get from the tour companies and compare it to the rate quoted by Fantasy. I am curious about how the rate differs.

Matrexx

Going direct through the tour companies is actually more expensive than through Fantasy Travel. Fantasy is 110E and Chat Tours is 130E. I'm just not comfortable giving copies of documents essential to my identity electronically and paying a bit extra is fine by me.