Tee from China Posted May 1, 2010 Share Posted May 1, 2010 Read this on another forum and I must confess I didn't know this so maybe others don't either. If it is a repost I apologize but it is so important that I will post it anyway! Not the same here in China as I always use cash and you have to hand in your key before they will return your room deposit but elsewhere could be different! 'Always take a small magnet on your holiday; they come in handy at the end of it. Thought you all needed to know this. This is pretty good info. Never even thought about key cards containing anything other than an access code for the room! 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 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 reissues 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 waste-basket, and NEVER turn them into the front desk when you check out of a room. They will not charge you for the card (its 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! 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. Information courtesy of: Metropolitan Police Service. PLEASE FORWARD to friends and family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz6002 Posted May 1, 2010 Share Posted May 1, 2010 Brilliant. Simply brilliant. I shall hence-forth carry many, MANY magnets on my person at all times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRalphMan Posted May 1, 2010 Share Posted May 1, 2010 http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/hotelkey.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewOW Posted May 1, 2010 Share Posted May 1, 2010 Don't be daft! It's just a room key, and info for the desk to which room you just used. Credit card information indeed! I bloody hope not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
movistar Posted May 1, 2010 Share Posted May 1, 2010 I have heard this before... not sure if its true or not but i always ask if i can keep the key! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lbm Posted May 1, 2010 Share Posted May 1, 2010 I'd probably be more worried about losing a laptop or smart phone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imi Posted May 1, 2010 Share Posted May 1, 2010 Tee - are you going through a phase of paranoia? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolai Posted May 1, 2010 Share Posted May 1, 2010 hoax no personal info on card. Just room/door information. Creditcard info is stored by the front desk. And btw, you can just issue your money back with your credit card. Thats why using a creditcard is one of the safest method of payment. (And if you buy items, they are automaticly insured during transit) Atleast thats visa does it here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robzki Posted May 1, 2010 Share Posted May 1, 2010 surely the info on the key will also be on the hotel computer? The staff could also use that? I would take a very large electromagnet with you and pass it over all harddrives in the building............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lbm Posted May 1, 2010 Share Posted May 1, 2010 Tee - are you going through a phase of paranoia? He should be - all his private info is embedded in his avatar and it's all too easy to access. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewOW Posted May 1, 2010 Share Posted May 1, 2010 He should be - all his private info is embedded in his avatar and it's all too easy to access. Shh, I'm still waiting for this online payment to go through! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave17 Posted May 1, 2010 Share Posted May 1, 2010 This doesn't sound like anything we put out (MPS). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael Posted May 1, 2010 Share Posted May 1, 2010 Just bookmark snopes.com and check it before you post this shite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted May 1, 2010 Share Posted May 1, 2010 People that post up shite they received in emails without checking really p*ss me off. We even had it at work once. Remember that old chestnut about the note on your rear window when driving away from petrol stations? That came round as a warning!!!1!!!3.14!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tee from China Posted May 4, 2010 Author Share Posted May 4, 2010 Tee - are you going through a phase of paranoia? Yeah, old age is a terrible terrible thing........now......who are you again? do I know you...........oh sorry gotta go the psycho nurse says time for bed....... and Corrie's on telly..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tee from China Posted May 4, 2010 Author Share Posted May 4, 2010 Just bookmark snopes.com and check it before you post this shite. why? do you believe them? just as you believe everything you read in newspapers? People that post up shite they received in emails without checking really p*ss me off. We even had it at work once. Remember that old chestnut about the note on your rear window when driving away from petrol stations? That came round as a warning!!!1!!!3.14!!!! must be so lonely in that perfect world of yours.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tee from China Posted May 4, 2010 Author Share Posted May 4, 2010 He should be - all his private info is embedded in his avatar and it's all too easy to access. Damn, never thought of that....so all the mods know my details?.......better change them quick:eyebrows: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tee from China Posted May 4, 2010 Author Share Posted May 4, 2010 Shh, I'm still waiting for this online payment to go through! rejected ...lack of funds...again:innocent: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted May 4, 2010 Share Posted May 4, 2010 must be so lonely in that perfect world of yours.... Not really. Everyone's here. Except you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fitz Posted May 4, 2010 Share Posted May 4, 2010 not sure if its true or not... surely the info on the key will also be on the hotel computer? How do you think I bought my Supra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axle Posted May 5, 2010 Share Posted May 5, 2010 You big boys finished with your pack hunting now?... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbleapple Posted May 5, 2010 Share Posted May 5, 2010 Just bookmark snopes.com and check it before you post this shite. why? do you believe them? just as you believe everything you read in newspapers? It is slightly ironic that some prefer to believe a website where the content is potentially no more 'authentic' than the initial posters information. Saying that, the only thing Marriott have on their key cards is the code to open the door and an expiry date when the card no longer becomes valid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael Posted May 5, 2010 Share Posted May 5, 2010 It is slightly ironic that some prefer to believe a website where the content is potentially no more 'authentic' than the initial posters information. Saying that, the only thing Marriott have on their key cards is the code to open the door and an expiry date when the card no longer becomes valid. How is it ironic? Website: Reputation as hoax busters, tend to investigate claims and look for specific evidence before posting up a selection of external links to confirm sources as well as listing other sources in the article. From Snopes: http://ww2.cityofpasadena.net/police/media/MediaReleases/HotelCardKeyUpdate.asp http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/107701/It_s_Just_the_Key_to_Your_Room?taxonomyId=017 Original Poster: Reputation as someone who posts hoaxes and random crap on here without checking their sources but uses the "don't care" excuse to justify it. Uses copy & paste at will to spread nonsense without looking into it first. Is it safer to believe 5 trusted sources that say the same thing or one random person who says the opposite? You big boys finished with your pack hunting now?... I guess so now that the big man has stepped in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tee from China Posted May 5, 2010 Author Share Posted May 5, 2010 Not really. Everyone's here. Except you. Thank god that I'm in China and you lot aint then:d:d:d:tongue: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewOW Posted May 5, 2010 Share Posted May 5, 2010 Thank god that I'm in China and you lot aint then:d:d:d:tongue: Whereabouts in China? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.