Has anyone been asked to email/fax a picture of their credit card?

[dvguy]

A week or so ago, I booked a seat with WinAir to fly from St. Maaten to Saba for a dive trip in May. I booked via their website with my credit card. I received a confirmation email from WinAir and the charge for the airfare was deducted from my credit card account. Everything seemed fine.

Then, earlier this week, I received another email from WinAir requesting I email or fax a picture of my passport page and a picture of my credit card, front and back, or they will cancel my reservation, refund my money, and I will have to rebook through a travel agent. :11: I called the WinAir contact number for St. Maaten to inquire about this and was told that this is a new policy they have implemented due to the increase in credit card fraud.

I have a problem with sending my personal info and credit card info via email or fax to WinAir or anyone else. Has anyone out there encountered a similar request for personal information via email or fax? Any suggestions on how I should handle this?

Thanks in advance for any advice regarding this matter.

 

[Hank49]

no. All I've ever needed to send was the credit card info for international sales or ticketing or whatever.

 

[300bar]

No,never have and NEVER will,maybe you can call your bank/cc company for advice.

 

[terrillja]

Never had that happen...

If fact I don't even use my CC # over the web or on the phone, I always use a shopsafe number through Bank of America. I'd be worried if you fax them your CC info and it sits at the output for the fax machine, someone could grab it and you'd never know.

Even when you have the card itself and hand it to someone you aren't 100% safe- we had a CC number taken when we were in Key Largo and charges started showing up 2 weeks after we left.

 

[underwasser bolt]

No way should you do that. That is credit card abuse or identity theft waiting to happen. I too say contact your bank for advice.

 

[Teamcasa]

I'd pass and re-book through a travel agent, however, if all they want to do is validate that you are the card holder, you could black-out all but the last three number of the credit card and the first two numbers of the security code on the reverse of the credit card copy. I would also redact all but basic info on anything else I faxed them.

When I travel, I only use one card and upon my return, I just call the credit card company and report the card as lost. They send me a new one with new numbers. No issue ever.

 

[Captain12Pk]

I'd be looking for a new airline.

 

[K9Pig]

"When I travel, I only use one card and upon my return, I just call the credit card company and report the card as lost. They send me a new one with new numbers. No issue ever." Teamcasa

Excellent idea!!! I'll have to remember that one.

 

[vladimir]

I have faxed a copy of my credit card and passport on a few occasions, most recently to Undersea Hunter for a Cocos trip. A couple of times to boats in Indonesia. So far I haven't had any issues, but I understand your concern. The alternative is usually a wire transfer. As I understand it, your liability for fraudulent transactions on a US credit card is limited by law to $50. That's why they're always trying to sell you insurance against fraudulent transactions. If you opt for the wire transfer, you'd be out the whole amount in the event of fraud.

 

[vladimir]

I'd be looking for a new airline.

I haven't checked, but I doubt there are a lot of options on the St. Maarten to Saba route.