I'm trying to make hotel reservations via email in Paris, Rome, and Florence. All the hotels I contacted request that I give them my credit card info over email for the reservation confirmation. Is this standard practice? Is it safe to give my card info over email to them?

Please email me at [email protected]

It is standard practice for many people. I've always sent my credit card info. via email without problems. For me it seems safe but others disagree.

Hi abby,

If you are concerned, send your CC info in 3 emails; one with 1/2 the number, one with the other 1/2, and one with the exp. date.

I agree with Ira, I recently made hotel reservations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and did them all through email and I sent each part of the CC info seperatly, it all worked out fine. When they confirmed I printed the page for my records, we leave friday!!!

I've made hotel reservations by emailing a credit card in Greece and did not have any problems, but I guess its really dependent on the person on the other end. Most credit cards have fraud protection, maybe use one that has great protection. Amex does, if you have one...

If your booking one of the large chains hotels they often have free phone international numbers.

A phone, by the way, is one of those things you disconnected a few years back so that you could hook up your computer to the net.

I never give my cc over e-mail. I make the reservation and ask for the fax number. Even the smallest hotels have access to a fax. My husband is in the communications business and said e-mail is very unsafe. Fax is fine.

My problem isn't with the email or fax transmissions, but what the hotel does with the received email and the fax.

When you call, they should just enter the CC# into their reservation system, which should be save. However, who knows how long that email is saved there, or who has access to it? And same thing with fax. You have a piece of paper flying around. Do they properly schred it? Or use it to wrap stuff? Who knows...

Very good point rkkwan. I had an ex-employer who kept all charge documents (faxes, emails, phone transactions) stored in file boxes, available to any nosy employee. In fact, when I went back to help him close out his office, he told me to just dump everything in the dumpster. We're talking boxes and boxes of clients' credit card info, employee social security #'s, the works. He called me crazy when I insisted I'd rather double-shred everything. That said, I use email to send cc info, and have never had a problem (knock wood.)

Yes it is standard practice. If you are still uncomfortable, you could just phone them with CC #, however. If you email, ask for electronic receipt of them opening it. If you call it in, have them email or fax confirmation.

I've sent my CC number and exp date through email several times w/o incidents... Sending it in parts may help in case someone catches your email in transit. The chance of that happening is VERY slim.

As rkkwan said, the problem is not in sending the details, but what the hotel does with them.

In any case, sending your full credit card details in one email is probably less dangerous than giving your card to a waiter when you pay your check in a restaurant.

We get faxes sent in error to our phone number every week. It's very easy to misdial. We've even gotten people's medical reports and test results.

Carefully review your credit card statement each month. If there are any unauthorized charges, send a letter to the credit card company contesting the charges. (Read the back of your statement to find the correct address.) Do not pay the contested charge. The credit card company will do an investigation. This should protect you.

Abbyford,
No... sending a credit card by e-mail is not safe. I would telephone them with the number. E-mail is not secure, but many hotels have secure online booking. You can tell if it's secure as a little lock will appear.

Best,
Sandy