Important Info I didnt't know where to put...

Link to website story

this is the email I received...

"Posted by Greg on 13:05:05 03/05/2007

In Reply to: motel key cards and maybe even hotel key cards posted by tb

> i got this info this am in an e-mail and i thought it would be helpful to all who go on trips and stay in motels and even hotels
>
> MOTEL KEY CARD
>
> Ever wonder what is on your magnetic key card? Answer:
>
> a. Customer's name
> b. Customer's partial home address
> c. Hotel room number
> d. Check-in date and out dates
> e. Customer's 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 the information on these cards until an employee re-issues the card to the next hotel guest. At that time, the new guest's information is electronically "overwritten" on the card and the previous guest's information is erased in the overwriting process. But until the card is rewritten for the next guest, it usually is kept in a drawer at 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 to 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 device card reader.
>
> For the same reason, if 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: Pasadena Police Department
>
> ** If you have a small magnet ... pass it across the magnetic strip several times. Then try it in the door, it will not work. It erases everything on the card.
>
>

Great information, hadn't thought about it.
Greg

"

www.youtube.com...

Having been in this industry for many years this is totally false info. All the cards do is activate a pin sequence on the locks, there is no other info on the cards.

Check Snopes www.snopes.com...

Um... If you believed this rhetoric enough to shovel it down your throat, perhaps other things you think you know, are just as false. Give it some thought... and some time.

AAC

I must call B.S. on this thread as well.

But, to be on the safe side, do what I do. Use fake name and address and pay cash.


Jasn

errr my day job includes selling these types of things.......


They will eventually replace domestic locks, most people who have a fully decked out security system have them instead of keys.


They are just electronic keys, the ones we sell dont have the capacity to hold extra info.........


And you will be charged a replacement fee if you dont return them as they are not cheap.


In saying that though there could be companies out there that make them with extra info chips,

Originally posted by KTK

And you will be charged a replacement fee if you dont return them as they are not cheap.

Once again, something that can be avoided by not using a credit card hehe. I still have every one I have ever received and have yet to be charged for one.