After submitting a reservation request with Hotel Panda's website they replied with an e-mail that the dates requested are available. What concerns me is they asked me to e-mail my credit card info to secure the reservation. The e-mail looks legit, but is it wise to e-mail my CC info?

Here's the e-mail:

If you decide to book the room, we need:

- your confirmation by e-mail
- the number of your credit card with the
expiration date to guarantee the
reservation
- your approximate arrival time

YOU HAVE TO KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT A CONFIRMATION , YOU HAVE TO RECEVED ANOTHER E-MAIL WITH THE CONFIRMATION .

We are at your disposal for any further information.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
We thank you for contacting us.

Yours Sincerely,
Anda

i had the same concerns with my hotel in rome and florence. what i did was to email them asking if they had a fax number. both did and i faxed the info getting immediate confirmation as well.

I encountered a similar situation when booking a hotel in Amsterdam. The solution that worked for me was to mail them the number of the credit card in two separate emails and from two separate addresses...used my son's email address as well as my own. I felt a whole lot more secure and they had no problem putting it all together. Good luck. Ana

Hi P,

Good advice above.

How many times have you given your CC to a waiter who then walked away with it?

And you're worried about email?

I've done so many times to hotels in other countries. Never had a problem yet, I figure since I've contacted them first (that would be how they have your email right?)it is safe. Maybe I don't understand what you are asking, what is the difference if you called and gave them the number over the phone?

I have done this dozens of times; most hotels ask for cc information nowdays. If you feel too nervous, perhaps get another credit card that you would only use for internet bookings.

While I'm not thrilled to do this, I have in the past. What I do is to write out the numbers in the local language over a number of lines, which I hope foils most of the automated CC number skimming programs/filters. Example
eins-zwei-drei-vier
funf-sechs-seiben-acht
neun-null-eins-zwei
drei-vier-funf-sechs

Paul

I've done this many times as well. I really don't think its any more unsafe than calling the number in or faxing it. I've never had a problem.

Tracy

Same here; done it many times and never had a problem. Sometimes I split the info into multiple emails.

I just did these a couple days ago. I sent two emails, splitting up the number and my name. When I asked the hotel if I could do this, they said sure and it sounded like they hear this a lot.

One time I split the email in two sections. But when I didn't get a confirmation I enquired and they told me they only got one. I suspect they threw the second one out thinking it looked like a duplication.

Meanwhile I've probably booked 500 hotels using emails including credit card numbers. I've never had a problem. On the other hand I have had credit card "number theft" three times -- presumably from local sources.

I take it since you are cautious, you have never given your card to a waiter in a restaurant?

This seems to be common practice these days.
It is a concern I know but, they need the number to confirm.

I have booked plenty of hotels for both business and pleasure in this way and never had a problem (yet).
My main concern always was not to fax the details as I don't like the idea that my details could be lying on a fax machine for some time.

So I don't know what alternative you have.

Good luck, I'm sure all will be ok.

Muck

I've emailed my credit card info many times. I agree there are many more likely ways to have a problem.

My main suggestion, if you are concerned, is to not use your regular credit card for this purpose. Instead use a card that you can easily cancel without causing a ricochet effect through your prepaid accounts, etc. When you get to the hotel (if they take CCs), you can pay with whatever card you want.

Hello Propero, I also have one credit card that I use only for online purchases and for emailing. Hotel Panda has been mentioned so many times here on Fodor's personally I would not hesitate to email them the credit card information. Enjoy beautiful Venice!!

giving your card to a waiter or clerk is risky as there have been many scams by store/restaurant staff (a store near my place just had a big problem with this). but there is a big difference with sending your card over insecure email:

-the email can sit on PUBLIC servers that are easily accessed by anyone. it also can sit on the hotel's forever (and of course, your own)
-access to your info can be from anywhere in the world
-the risk is not time bound. the info can sit out there indefinitely.
-in a shop you take your chance on one person ...on the internet, how many scammers are out there who can access your data....who knows?
-data can be on multiple public servers at once, any of which may be compromised..the risk is multiplied.

Doesn't the risk sit on the issuer's shoulders, not the cardholder's? I check my activity online several times a week to review what has posted there. But if something fraudulent comes through, it is no risk to me.

Travelnut is absolutely correct, but the card issuers have trained consumers to guard their card numbers as if they were liable for any fraudulent charges. It's actually themselves they're protecting, but that's another story.

...not so fast...don't assume all card issuers are exactly like the ones in your country. not all reverse first and ask questions later. in some systems, there is much more burdon of proof on the cardholder and it can be a MAJOR hassle to sort these things out.

anyway, no matter your system it's best policy to take reasonable care to safeguard your info (as required by the CC issuer anyway). reasonable care means not throwing it out to cyberspace unless you are dealing with a secure website that uses encryption for cc data.