I will be traveling to Italy in a couple of weeks & I'm booking my hotels directly with the hotels.
Many of them are requesting my credit card info to reserve the room. I know this is customary but for some reason, I'm
feeling very uncomfortable sending my info via email.
I contacted my bank & was told that I have travel insurance when using my credit card & if any unauthorized charges occur, I will not be liable.
Ideas are welcome & appreciated, thank you in advance!
I send my Credit Card info via email. I always say I will pay in cash, but they still want the Credit Card info. This current trip, I'm in Roma now, the B and B charged my Credit Card for one night's stay while I was still in the US, and then after a few days that charge vanished. When I arrived in Roma, I paid in full in cash as promised and my credit card was never charged.
It's as safe as using your card at Target, or Home Depot, or giving it to a waiter you've never met while they take it in a back room for several minutes. Your card details can be stolen and used fraudulently by any number of methods and the bottom line is you are not responsible for more than $50 in charges if you notify them (reality is they notice before you do anyway and almost never even charge you the allowed $50).
I see no reason not to email my card info but some people are more skittish about it and send it in two emails. But frankly, the biggest threat is not an email hacker but the recipient.
Hopefully when you talked to your bank, you gave them your travel itinerary so they don't block the card on your trip.
Hi again Macy, I faced the same situation on recent trips with some of the small hotels or inns. In these cases I was usually exchanging e-mails with a specific staff person. I also felt uncomfortable sending my card number by e-mail, offered to do the following, which was fine with those staff: I would send two or three separate e-mails, with some time in between, with the first half of the number, second half of the number, and expiration date, not altogether. Took minimal extra effort, and if don't know if it actually reduced the risks of some hacker getting my number, but it worked out every time. If the lodging or a site like booking.com used a form to fill out, it was generally a secure site and I just provided my credit card information there as requested.
If you want to use email, let them know you'll send it in more than one email. I never worry about this, generally I use a booking service or use someplace I have stayed before and email them.
I have emailed my credit card number and expiration date to reserve rooms in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Madrid, and Palermo. I sent the information in one email, not breaking it up in multiple emails. I did not have any problems. I have chosen to get notified by my credit card company any time a purchase is made without my cc being physically present (usually purchase made online and by phone). This puts my mind at ease that I would be notified immediately if an unauthorized purchase was made. I simply don't worry about is as I would not be responsible for unauthorized purchases.
Absolutely no different than giving it to any hotel in the US. The transmission of the credit card number is absolutely secure. Splitting the number adds more inconvenience than security. If something bad is going to happen, it will happen after your credit card number is in the hotel's computer. Your credit card is always protected against fraud activity.
Thanks for all your suggestions & advise!
Sandra, enjoy the rest of your trip in Italy!
Douglas, you're right! I shouldn't be so worried... and YES, I have contacted my bank re travel dates, etc.. thanks!
Larry* Hi again & thanks once again!
I'm almost done making all the reservations for our trip! My mom told me she's almost all packed!
Zoe, Thanks again!
Mary, You said this: "I have chosen to get notified by my credit card company any time a purchase is made without my cc being physically present"
This is a great idea, THANKS!**
