Forums Forums Wirral Information Law And Your Rights HOTEL KEY CARDS

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> This is pretty good info. Never even thought about key cards containing anything other than an access code for theroom!
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> HOTEL KEY CARDS
>
> 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 thefront desk your personal information is there for any employee to access by simply scanning thecard in thehotel scanner. An employee can take a hand full of cards home and using a scanning device, access theinformation onto a laptop computer and go shopping at your expense.
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> Simply put, hotels do not erase theinformation on these cards until an employee reissues thecard to thenext hotel guest. At that time, thenew guest's information is e lectronically 'overwritten' on thecard and theprevious guest's information is erased in theoverwriting process.
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> But until thecard is rewritten for thenext guest, it usually is kept in a drawer at thefront desk with YOUR INFORMATION ON IT!
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> The bottom line is: Keep thecards, take them home with you, or destroy them. NEVER leave them behind in theroom or room wastebasket, and NEVER turn them into thefront desk when you check out of a room. They will not charge you for thecard (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.
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> For thesame reason, if you arrive at theairport and discover you still have thecard 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 theelectronic information strip!
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> If you have a small magnet, pass it across themagnetic strip several times. Then try it in thedoor, it will not work. It erases everything on thecard.
>
> Information courtesy of: Metropolitan Police Service.

Well! Ya learn something new every day! Thanks

Would be interesting if it were true, but it isn't. Urban myth number 653321.

Yes I agree its an Urban myth/rumor.

my gullibility rears its ugly head again!! Lol.

My company were advised of this directly by Kent police, Corporate policy dictated to us from above now is to retian swipe cards and destroy them. Even if it is regardsed as an urban myth, We don't take the chance.

They keep nothing on the cards, it's just to open the door - if you open the card there is a coil which is matched to the door lock. The cards can't store anything, there is no battery or circuit board, etc.
You can tell this is a myth as it has >>> >>> all the way down it.

Not quite true station, the keys is programmed at the desk for which room and how long the stay is for, that is why it doesn't matter if you take the key with you.

I had some VERY hush hush specialised training this week should I get sent to some very nasty areas of the world with my job....and the advise was keep the card as it holds you credit card number.

I am not supprised there is so much info out there on everyone these days.

It's not true.
It was never true.
It was a rumour started by someone who didn't get his facts straight.
Click for the facts