Hotel room card identity thefts

[realFedUp]

Just got this as an e-mail...anyone have any
link to solid information about this:

Subject: Identity Security Risk

Hi all,
Be careful with your hotel room keys-don't turn them in.....your address, credit card #, identity information are all imbedded in the card and it is not erased until used again. Any employee can access the information by scanning the card in the hotel scanner. You won't be charged for the card.
This information is provided by Sargeant K. Jorge, Detective Sargeant, Pasadena Police Dept. It was presented at their Regional Identity Theft seminar.

A key from Doubletree was used as an example. It contained:
Customer name, partial home address, hotel room number, Check in and check out date and credit card number & exp date.

[spinbaby]

1. Urban folklore

http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/hotelkey.asp

[realFedUp]

2. Thanks...I'll pass it back to sender.

[Drifter]

3. I seriously doubt ...

that information is put on those cards. Those cards are used to gain access to rooms. There is no reason to put customers information on it. The card will most likely hold some data that is used matched up with a door.

This is probably a hoax that was started by ... hmm ... lets see ... companies that manufacture and sell these cards and systems.

Cheers
Drifter

[arcane1]

4. can't hotel employees just look at the damned receipt?

:shrug:

I remember getting a Blockbuster Video membership aeons ago, and they had me write down my CC# right there on the application

As far as I know, it sits there to this day, where any minimum-wage clerk can take a peek