Credit card information on phone or email

[drsel]

Is it safe to pay a Cruise deposit by giving your credit card info on phone or 2-3 separate emails to an Online travel agent in another country?

Because he says that he is a smaller company and doesn't have a direct booking facility (like the large OTAs).

Nor can he provide a web link to make a secure payment

[Pudgesmom]

No.

[easyboy]

You may not even be sure if the agent is legitimate.

 

 

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[Clarea]

This sets off alarm bells for me.

[ansoninc]

I agree. I would drop him and look for a more know OTA. Too many red flags.

 

 

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[fishywood]

E-mail is the most easily intercepted or misdirected (inadvertently or otherwise) form of electronic communication. It is less unsafe to send your Social Security number via Facebook messenger than to e-mail your financial information.

 

At the very least I would do a "reverse 411" on multiple "people look-up" sites to see that the phone number you were given is actually registered to a business. And of course be sure the business is licensed. If the agent says they have given you their personal/mobile phone number because their business number does not accept international calls (which is a marginally legit possibility) that should probably scare anyone away.

[drsel]

You may not even be sure if the agent is legitimate.

 

 

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The company is legitimate and rated A+ on BBB. In the cruise agent business for over 12 years. They tend to undercut the main OTAs and offer a lower price (inclusive of port fees and taxes) in order to get more customers.

Only 1 complaint of "bait and switch" on the internet, where they offered a lower price initially and then raised it later, saying that it was a genuine mistake.

I guess I am not allowed to mention names.

[fishywood]

The company is legitimate and rated A+ on BBB. In the cruise agent business for over 12 years. They tend to undercut the main OTAs and offer a lower price (inclusive of port fees and taxes) in order to get more customers.

Only 1 complaint of "bait and switch" on the internet, where they offered a lower price initially and then raised it later, saying that it was a genuine mistake.

I guess I am not allowed to mention names.

 

Sounds like you have done sufficient research to decide for yourself. But the fact that you omitted that from your initial post indicates you still have reservations. As would I over someone who has been in the business of internet bookings for 12 years but lacks an online payment platform. Even if claiming the resultant cost savings is passed on to you in the lower fare, they could at least have a Paypal account for circumstances such as yours.

[drsel]

So I guess it is better to pay a little more and stick to the biggest OTAs to avoid any risk.

[easyboy]

The company is legitimate and rated A+ on BBB. In the cruise agent business for over 12 years. They tend to undercut the main OTAs and offer a lower price (inclusive of port fees and taxes) in order to get more customers.

Only 1 complaint of "bait and switch" on the internet, where they offered a lower price initially and then raised it later, saying that it was a genuine mistake.

I guess I am not allowed to mention names.

 

 

 

It is your risk to take. But the lack of facility you asked from an online agent in business for 12 years really leaves me thinking.

 

 

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[cheeseclan]

The agent i have is a small agent who works from home. She does have a host agency that is also not huge. She has my CC on file and ALWAYS pays using the online payment form thru the cruise line.

IMO any agent should be able to do this for you. If not use a different one or book yourself.

 

As far as emailing your CC, never ever do that.

[Keith1010]

I really think you need to make the decision.

 

Maybe discuss with your credit card company ahead of time?

 

Keith

[bUU]

The company is legitimate and rated A+ on BBB. In the cruise agent business for over 12 years.

I would see the request for your credit card by email to be an indictment of BBB's ratings.

 

 

 

This message may have been entered via voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

[spookyfudge]

Is it safe to pay a Cruise deposit by giving your credit card info on phone or 2-3 separate emails to an Online travel agent in another country?

Because he says that he is a smaller company and doesn't have a direct booking facility (like the large OTAs).

Nor can he provide a web link to make a secure payment

 

Yes, how else do you book the cruise. If you use a card such as AE, you can watch and see if there is a problem. They are good at any problems if it is used and not authorized.

[drsel]

Yes, how else do you book the cruise. If you use a card such as AE, you can watch and see if there is a problem. They are good at any problems if it is used and not authorized.

I normally book a Cruise directly on the secure website of the giant OTAs. No human intervention

[Cyber Kat]

It took me a long time to find a TA who is local and well known by a friend. There is no way I would use even an online booking service with a good reputation, or a TA I don't know well and who operates in a far off state - let alone one in another country. I don't care how much they claim to save you. IMO it's not worth the risk.

 

What do you do if they have your info and your booking, then go out of business? Happens all the time to perfectly legitimate businesses. What do you do If they stop answering emails or phones?

 

I want someone local so I can go there and raise a ruckus if there are problems [emoji12].

 

BTW I have worked with the BBB many times and they really don't have much actual power, beyond giving a business a bad rating, to help you resolve an issue.

 

Find a local agency, book with a well-known online booking site or directly with the cruise line. IMO it's just not worth the risk to your credit or the risk of identity theft. JMO.

 

 

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[drsel]

I agree fully. Thanks everyone for all your help!

[drsel]

When I asked the agent--

On the phone, do I have to key in the deposit amount in $$$, card no., CVV, expiry date

OR

voice them out to you?

 

This is the reply the agent gave me--

''The deposit is $198 for the cabin. To call, you would talk to me directly as our office has land lines. I would then take your card which will be secure with us and make the deposit through MSC travel agent portal and send you your confirmation as soon as it goes through''

Any comments on this reply?

[donaldsc]

I have done over seas bookings to TAs or tour companies by CC. I send my CC number in 3 separate e-mails. I divide my CC # into 2 parts and send the expiration date and security code on a 3'd e-mail. So far no problems.

 

DON

[sail7seas]

I have done over seas bookings to TAs or tour companies by CC. I send my CC number in 3 separate e-mails. I divide my CC # into 2 parts and send the expiration date and security code on a 3'd e-mail. So far no problems.

 

DON

 

 

How can we know a fraction of what you seem to know ab out this company? We cannot.

I would not send cc number etc by e-mail. I I'd rather pay a igt more adn deal with a company that does business in a more safe fashion. BBBB rating is no guaranteee of anything, IMO you seem to have researchedc and still cannot decide if you want to do budsinress with them. Listen to your instinct.

[cb at sea]

If it's not a "legitimate" charge, your credit card will do a chargeback and stop the transaction. That's what's great with CREDIT cards....they work to protect you. Now debit cards are an entirely different animal!!

[iancal]

We routinely shop on the web.

 

We often buy travel products from foreign on line suppliers/vendors-hotels, cruises, ferry, bus, etc, on line. Never had an issue. We sometimes find that we pay less for the identical travel product when we buy offshore.

 

Our cards have been compromised three times...always from home. We use a seperate Visa card for all FX transactions. Never had a problem in the five years we have been using it.

[drsel]

If it's not a "legitimate" charge, your credit card will do a chargeback and stop the transaction. That's what's great with CREDIT cards....they work to protect you. Now debit cards are an entirely different animal!!

Not so. My VISA cc was used for a fraudulent, unsecured online transaction at Google YoungJoy in Malaysian ringgit.

I immediately blocked the card and had to download, fill out, sign, scan & email a Dispute claim form to my bank.

The fraudulent merchant claimed the money the next day.

My monthly cc statement shows the fraudulent amount claimed.

I now have to pay the bill generated.

The credit card/bank/VISA didn't do a chargeback, nor gave me a temporary credit of the disputed amount.

Reversal of charges is expected to happen after 45 days, but no guarantee

[SRF]

I have purchased things from vendor with voice transmission of my credit card number.

 

I have also emailed it in several pieces. If possible, I send each piece from a different email account (different @xxxx) and to a different email address at the other end.

 

I have also had my credit card hacked from entering the CC data on a "secure" webpage.

 

If you have more than one CC, not a big deal. If you get improper charges, call the company, they will remove the charges, close the account, and send you a new card (sometimes via overnight).

 

I was in norther Africa, and my CC said I was taking Lyft rides around SFO, and going to two different movie theaters in FL the same night (over 100 miles apart), and also traveling from Las Vegas to Charlotte on American (that one was funny, the CC info included the NAMES of the people).

 

No big deal.

 

One trip, I had two credit cards hacked the day I left the US.