Please settle a money related row between me and my brother.

[Bluepetticoat]

Not exactly a row, but...

Last night my brother told me he had refused to book a hotel which demanded his card details by phone. He says he only uses his card for online transactions where the server is showing secure, or info is encrytped.

I couldn't believe my ears TBH. I order a huge amount of items over the web and pay for holidays etc by giving my card number over the phone.

He thinks I am wrong.

I told him we have had our cards cloned 3 times in several years and in each case the bank etc paid up with no questions - small fraudulent transactions on the cards.

I have paid for stays in huge hotel chains by card over the phone as well as handing my card to them at reception when I've checked in- not let it out of sight but they take the number etc.

Is he just being over cautious?

Does it matter if he is? I have a friend like that each to their own. I don't really use my card over the phone tbh just on line. Would only give it over the phone if I had called them so I know they are legit.

I work for a shop that deals in telesales and people hand their card details over far too easily IME.

Yes, each to their own I think. He has a point but so do you.

well he was the one ranting that the hotel would not take a cheque for his booking.

He seemed to think the owner was trying to get info from him that was out of ordinary in a business transaction.

boring if you work in telesales, could you elaborate what you mean by people giving over their card details too easily? if they are buying something over the phone what else can they do?

He has to accept that his stance may not mesh with modern real life, as understandable as it is to be so cautious if you are very risk averse.

Ah sorry should have added we do the telesales as an extra normally customers come in and buy the products or order and pay in store. I work at the checkouts and on a few occasions I have had to phone customers to process the payments and ask for details and they hand them over. Only one person in 8 years has asked to phone me back so they know where they are calling and to check it was legit.

My FIL refuses to "put his bank card details on the internet" (he makes it sound like everyone in the world with access to the internet will then be able to see his card details) but is willing to tell them to any random stranger over the phone. I think that's barking myself and am with your brother, I'm afraid.

But hassled, if the person on the other end is legit- ie you have called them and had a conveersation beofre you place the order, what is the actual risk? The card companies pay up because they don't want to lose custom . If anyone tries to use your card and ask for items to be sent to another address where the card is not registered then you'd have reason to complain to the card provider.

Booking hotels by phone and using a card is normal practise- done it loads of times for very large hotel groups, and there is no other way to pay often because sometimes the online booking doesn't show the rooms etc that you want- you have to phone to speak to someone.

It's completely normal practice to give your card details over the phone in that situation. Yes there is a very small risk of someone misusing your details but lots of card details are stolen from online companies so your brother's details aren't 100% safe either. The fact that the website is encrypted means just the transmission is encrypted. The card details will be stored without encryption by the companies.