<VV> 2007 Hotel Credit Card Processing

[Cliff Tibbitts]

Thanks for the explanation Harry, but I still find it un-acceptable, so I
will likely use another hotel.  My wife and I, like others, have traveled
literally all over this country and various parts of Europe and have never
been asked to send this type of information in order to reserve a room.  

I'm sorry to hear that they cannot or won't rescind their policy. 

Cliff Tibbitts
Lexington, KY

-----Original Message-----
From: virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org
[mailto:virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org] On Behalf Of Harry Jensen, CORSA
Executive Secretary
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 4:53 PM
To: Virtual Vairs
Subject: <VV> 2007 Hotel Credit Card Processing

Hiya--

I called the Sterling Heights Best Western and discussed their policy on 
credit cards and processing.

What Dave Keilor reported below is true: The hotel asks for a copy of the 
front and back of both your credit card and driver's license along with a 
signed form. You can mail or fax in the information requested.

The reason for this is that credit card processors put businesses in 
classes. CORSA is a MO/TO (mail order/telephone order) company, and the 
rules we have to follow are specific for each industry. MO/TO is different 
than orders taken on the 'net or retail stores and the requirements are 
different for both classes of companies.

Whatever class the business is in, the thing that both the business and the 
card processors have to control is disputed charges or chargebacks and 
credit card fraud. Each class of business has a different set of 
requirements. And apparently the card processor that the hotel uses insists 
that the hotel get this verification so that the hotel will qualify for the 
lowest processing fees. (The fewer chargebacks, the lower the fees 
businesses are charged for processing.)

Hotels and motels are in a different class. In most all of the credit card 
transactions done at hotels, the card is present and swiped in one of those 
ubiquitous credit card scanners. If the transaction is a card not present, 
the credit card processors make the companies in this class have 
verification that the person who is using the card is who he says he is. 
That is the reason the Sterling Heights wants the copies of the license and 
the credit card.

What I did learn is that they need the copy of the driver's license to 
verify the signature, so any personal information like the driver's license 
number can be crossed out. And three CVC numbers in the signature panel on 
the back of the credit card can also be crossed out. Most all of the 
personal information can be obliterate before you fax or send a copy of the 
driver's license and credit card.

If it were me, I would obliterate out the first twelve digits on a 
MasterCard, Visa, or Discover, so the information transmitted is the same 
as on a credit card receipt. And I would not transmit a copy of my driver's 
license with the license number visible. If you don't want to give them 
copies of your card or driver's license, then simply mail them a check.

I did ask about those individuals who had their cards processed without 
having to provide the verification information, but the hotel did not have 
a good reason why they were accepted.

I hope this helps.

--H


>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Dave Keillor" <dkeillor at tconcepts.com>
>To: "Virtual Vairs" <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
>Sent: Monday, March 12, 2007 12:14 PM
>Subject: RE: <VV> 2007 CORSA Convention
>
>
>I just got off the phone with the reservations manager, and she confirmed 
>that you have to make a non-refundable deposit (I knew that) either by 
>check or credit card.  To pay by credit card, you need to fill out a form 
>received by mail or fax, then either fax or mail the form along with a 
>copy of both front and back of your credit card and a copy of your 
>driver's license.  Her reason was that "it's a requirement of the credit 
>card company".  So, if you're uncomfortable with providing that level of 
>information (I am), then allow some extra time for them to receive and 
>process your check.
>
>Btw, the form states, "Hotel rooms will not be considered confirmed until 
>we receive these copies and the credit card charge is approved."
>
>Dave Keillor




|--------------------------------------------------------------
| Harry Jensen  mailto:corsa at corvair.org
| CORSA Executive Secretary
|
| Corvair Society of America (CORSA)
| P.O. Box 607, Lemont, IL 60439, 630.257.6530  fax 630.257.5540
| http://www.corvair.org
|-------------------------------------------------------------- 

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