This is just another urban legend. See http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/hotelkey.asp
Which is exactly why we don't post these things to the KRNet. Now to keep things relevant be sure to attend the Sun and Fun KR dinner at the Holiday Inn HOTEL. It will be one of the KEYS to the completion of your PLASTIC airplane! Brian Kraut Engineering Alternatives, Inc. www.engalt.com -----Original Message----- From: krnet-bounces+brian.kraut=engalt....@mylist.net [mailto:krnet-bounces+brian.kraut=engalt....@mylist.net]On Behalf Of Steve Bray Sent: Tuesday, March 07, 2006 9:17 PM To: kr...@mylist.net Subject: KR> Plastic Motel/Hotel Keys..........please read I know this doesn't directly relate to KR's but a lot of us use these and might be helpful. Steve Bray Jackson, Tennessee Plastic Motel/Hotel Keys..........please read > > > > > > > > > > PLASTIC HOTEL/MOTEL ROOM KEYS > > > > > > TREAT HOTEL KEYS LIKE CREDIT CARDS > > > > > > From the Colorado Bureau of Investigation: > > > > > > "Southern California law enforcement professionals assigned to detect >new > > > threats > > > to personal security issues recently discovered what type of >information > > > is embedded > > > in the credit card type hotel room keys used throughout the industry. > > > > > > Although room keys differ from hotel to hotel, a key obtained from the > > > "Double Tr! ee" > > > chain that was being used for a regional Identity Theft Presentation >was > > > found to > > > contain the following the information: > > > > > > a.. Customer's (your) name b.. Customer's partial home address c.. >Hotel > > > room number > > > d.. Check in date and check out date e.. Customer's (your) 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 > > > re-issues the card to the next hotel guest. At that time, the new >guest's > > > information > > > is electronically "overwritten" on the card and the previou! s 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 wastebasket, and NEVER >turn > > > them in to the front desk when you check out of a room. > > > > > > They will not charge you for the card (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. 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! > > > > > > Now we have ALL learned something. I would never have suspected that >that > > > much information was contained in those innocent looking pieces of > > > plastic. > > > _______________________________________ Search the KRnet Archives at http://www.maddyhome.com/krsrch/index.jsp to UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to krnet-le...@mylist.net please see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html
