[vicsireland] FW: [bcab] Identity theft & hotels?
- From: "Plumpton, Steve [BTCS]" <Steve.Plumpton@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: undisclosed-recipients:;
- Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2006 11:52:23 -0000
Folks
I have recently picked up the following information which may be of use
to you!
You know how when you check out of a hotel that uses
the-credit-card-type room key, the clerk often will ask you to return
your key(s)... or drop it in a box or slot at the reception counter?
It's good for the hotel because they save money by re-using those cards.
But, it is not good for you, as revealed below by the California Bureau
of Investigation:
"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 a
well-known hotel 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 partial home address
c. Hotel room number
d. Check in date and check out date
e. Customer's (your) credit card number and expiry date!
When you return them at the front desk your personal information remain
there for any employee to access by simply scanning the card in the
hotel scanner.
An employee can take a handful 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 the information on these cards until the
employee re-issues the card to the next hotel guest. At that time, the
new guest's information is electronically "overwritten" on the card over
the previous guest's information.
But until the card is reused for the next guest, it usually is kept in a
drawer the front desk with
YOUR INFORMATION ON IT!
The bottom line is: Keep the cards, take them home with you, or destroy
them. NEVER leave them behind in the room or room wastebasket, and NEVER
turn them in at the front desk when you check out of a room.
They will not charge you for the card (it's illegal) and you'll be sure
you are not leaving a lot of valuable personal information on it that
could be easily lifted off with any simple scanning card reader device.
For the same reason, you arrive at the airport and discover you still
have the card key in your pocket, do not toss it in an airport trash
basket. Take it home and destroy it by cutting it up, especially through
the electronic information strip!"
Information courtesy of the Pasadena Police Department
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