Credit card security TRUE or FALSE

[Scott_J]

This was send to me from a security specialist for a very big law firm in Southern Cal. Read it and see if he is trying to scam me or if he is telling me the truth. We try to trick one another at times and this time i am not sure.

***********************************************************

 

Southern California law enforcement professionals assigned to detect new threats to personal security issues, recently discovered what type of information is embedded in the credit card type hotel room keys used throughout the industry. Although room keys differ from hotel to hotel, a key obtained from the "Double Tree" chain that was being used for a regional Identity Theft Presentation was found to contain the following the information:

 

a. Customers (your) name

 

b. Customers (your) partial home address

 

c. Hotel room number

 

d. Check in date and check out date

 

e. Customers (your) credit card number and expiration date!

 

 

 

When you turn them in to the front desk your personal information is there for any employee to access by simply scanning the card in the hotel scanner. An employee can take a hand full of cards home and using a scanning device, access the information onto a laptop computer and go shopping at your expense.

 

Simply put, hotels do not erase these cards until an employee issues the card to the next hotel guest. It is usually kept in a drawer at the front desk with YOUR INFORMATION ON IT!!!! The bottom line is, keep the cards or destroy them! NEVER leave them behind and NEVER turn them in to the front desk when you check out of a room. They will not charge you for the card. (Information courtesy of: Sergeant K. Jorge, Detective Sergeant, Pasadena Police Department)

 

 

 

[chelle]

Don't know whether it's true, but sounds interesting. I have a friend at school who works at a hotel. I'll ask him and let you know. In the meantime if you're not using your work address and a corporate card you don't really care is stolen, why not destroy the card if there is no penalty for it?

[Ducknut]

You should always check with urban legends.

[Scott_J]

thanks ducknut