Is personal info on your hotel keycard?
01.01.2007, 10:42
I just read a mass e-mail warning consumers that hotel keycards are embedded with personal info including name, credit card number and expiration date.
Hotels in Tallinn
It says to keep the card with you at all times, and never leave it behind when you check out, or your info could be lifted by unscrupulous hotel employees.
This topic caused a stir and a debate here, so to get the scoop I called Rich Siegel of Hospitality Upgrade, who's an expert on hotel technology.
He says talk that hotel keycards are embedded with detailed personal info is "an urban myth .. it’s just not true. (Hotels) don’t embed credit card information, only a departure date." That makes a key automatically deactivate at checkout time on the day you’re supposed to leave.
The keycard scare also is addressed on Snopes.com, which debunks urban myths. And the American Hotel & Lodging Association recently told The Seattle Post-Intelligencer that cards don't contain personal info (except sometimes hotel folio number or last name).
So Hotsheet readers, what do you think about this? Do you worry about what info is out there and what's done with it? Readers in the industry, what info is on your lodging's cards? Should we worry about staffers using our data?