cinciapril

Someone recommended Hotel Casci and after looking into it, and submitting a request for more information, we are interested in booking.

However, how did you submit your credit card information? I remember someone posting about getting their credit card info stolen after they sent their info via email. Is this safe? What is the best way to do this?

Thanks!
April

JoeTro

Well I can't speak for this hotel, but I've given my CC number via e-mail often to confirm the reservation and never had a problem. I know there are many Hotel Casci fans here so I doubt they've had problems either.

Rd

Fax the details!

greg

I split the information into two parts: part of the number in email and remainder of the number and exp date in fax. Only the receiving hotel gets both parts.

No hotel has refused this method of sending info.

ira

HI C,

If you are concerned about security, follow Greg's advice.

MFNYC

I fax my credit card info and ask for a confirmation via email or fax. I've done this with Hotel Casci (and several other hotels in Europe) without any problems. If I have any doubts or have not received some form of confirmation, I will send a followup email or will call if necessary. I like the written confirmations just in case there are any issues upon arrival (which there never has been).

bobby_c

Never, ever email your credit card information, it can easily skimmed. While the hotel isn't wittingly doing anything wrong, they are completely behind the times on this. For our 2 week trip coming up in June, we made 4 different hotel reservations. They all wanted a credit card emailed to hold it, however when I contacted them (by email) and asked for their fax number instead, they nad no problem. Sending credit card numbers via fax is no problem, but I'll never do it via email. I'm in the web business - it is a very bad practice that many small establishments have yet address.

Bob

julzieluv

Hogwash. If someone steals your cc, you can dispute any charges and they remove immediately or cancel your card. No big deal.

tomboy

So, Bob, how might one e-mail WITH security?
Do I assume correctly that a scammer would be looking for a 16 digit number?
If one split it up into 4 sets of 4, each separated by text, would that overcome the risk?
Or, if one of the sets was in text (e.g., one two three four) rather than number, wouldn't that work?
I would think that, even handing your card to an evil desk clerk would entail some level of risk, and that a fax would bear no less risk than an ingeniously designed e-mail. I'd appreciate your comments, for if you're in the web business, you'd be more aware of how the scammers might mis-employ the technology.

chopinplayer

Just after Christmas we booked all of our hotels in Rome, Venice, Santorini & Athens. Every one of them needed CC info for reservation purposes. In all of my searches for different hotels I don't think I ever found one that didn't require CC info & I never expected anything different. We didn't have a problem at all. If a person never buys anything on the internet or what have you than I can see how it would be scary but I often make purchases on the internet so wasn't bothered by it.
Just a question...would you give your credit card info over the phone? Because I've often heard that is even more risky than doing it online. I just heard it...I'm not saying I necessarily believe that one way is safer than the other.

chopinplayer

We did fax one of our hotels in Santorini actually. But yes- if someone puts something through on your CC you are often not charged for that anyway. Our company always calls us if there has been a significant purchase as well.
Also wondering- I would think faxing would also have some risk to it as well wouldn't it?

xyz123

It is much more likely your credit card number will be stolen in a restaurant or a shop by a crooked clerk running the card through his own reader or perhaps at any self service credit card device with sophisticated crooks putting smaller and smaller readers into the slots then via e mail.

I have used e mail and the internet to orders things many many times and just don't worry about it...the chances of e mail being compromised and credit card numbers being stolen don't faze me on this...if they do they do....if fraudulent charges come through, you simply deal with it with the credit card company...unfortunately the vermin living in Eastern Europe and Nigeria have these rings that have a variety of ways of stealing credit card numbers.

But it is far more inconvenient for me to worry about this possibility (and use I've had my number stolen a couple of times) then to give up the convenience I have.

bobby_c

To each his own. Rather than email my credit card, I took a few extra seconds to send it securely (via fax). Personally, I wouldn't send it in multiple emails (breaking it up) - but if I had no other choice, I'd consider it.

Sure you can get your money back, but it is a hassle and your card may be maxxed out when you want to use it next. Everyone has to determine their own level of risk and the hassles associated with it. For me it's a no brainer, fax or phone.

h2babe

I send it in multiple emails - and I havent seen any issues.

LoveItaly

When I order anything online or email a credit card number I use one specific credit card. This credit card is not used for anything else.
But I have a family member involved in computer security and they said to never email a cc # too.

NeoPatrick

Once again, the risk of someone at the other end misusing the credit card number is far greater than the possibility of someone pulling the number out of the "airwaves". With that in mind, an email is far safer than a fax. A faxed message may lay on a desk in the open for any employee or wanderer to see. An email is far less likely to be available for public scrutiny. And while we're at it, no one who has ever handed his credit card to a waiter in a restaurant should be the least concerned with sending the information to a hotel in Europe -- which is infinitely safer.

Trophywife007

I have to say, LoveItaly, that I like your idea. It might be good to use one with a smaller credit limit exclusively for these kinds of purchases. I know we're not liable for fraudulent charges, but it makes me feel better knowing only one card is susceptible, and that the potential dollar amount won't be as high.

Thanks for the idea!

&lt

greg

Using credit cards with low credit limit will unlikely limit the magnitude of dollar exposure. The banks want you to exceed your credit limit so that they can tack on lucrative fees when you exceed your credit limit. This is just like checking accounts. It used to be that the banks denied debits against your account when there was insufficient fund. Now it is a significant revenue source; they just let your balance go negative so that they can hit you with the overdraft charge over and over.

xyz123

Take a look at this article in today's New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/21/nyregion/21theft.html

I wish more restaurants in the USA had those little mobile terminals the waiters usually bring to your table in France and in the UK.

Of course then again it would be nice if the USA adopted pin and chip technology but I am sure our friendly bankers have done a study and determined in would cost them more to switch over in terms of the cost of the cards and software and terminals then they lose in fraud.

Not that pin and chip totally resolves the problem of e mailing credit card numbers but it seems to me that is a far smaller source of credit card fraud then what happens on the merchant level.

LoveItaly

Hi Trophywife, I got the idea years ago when I put the CC# of the CC I use all of the time (for FF miles) on a website as a present to my video game playing grandson. We were informed a few months later that this CC# and many others had been hacked.

Fortunatly the hackers didn't use my CC info but the CC Co. had to cancel my CC and send me a new one with a different a/c# of course. And since I had so many utility bills etc. paid via this CC I spent "forever" on the phone giving the various companies the uptodate info. So that is when I decided in the future to use one of my CC's strickly for online business. It does have a high limit but I wouldn't be held responsible as long as the charges are fraudaulant. Best regards.