jmann2380

Simply not true in regards to Indonesian Amans. The common (policy?) practice is to send a secure link to put your credit card on file direct with Aman, not through the agent.

FlyingDoctorwu

I recieved a link like that for my stay at Amanzoe. Amanjena emailed me a form directly for CC authorization (note that they take a deposit). My agent provided credit card info to Amangiri, Amanyara, and the Indo Amans (note that that stay was many years ago)....

Amanera hasn't sent anything yet...

FDW

Are you an employee of your agency or a independent contractor? Are independent contractors provided with the same sort of CRM software for managing their sales?


FDW

chgoeditor

I think the key message here is that most corporate agencies as well as online travel agents/airlines adhere to PCI (payment card industry) compliance standards. If you're working with an independent agent, is that agent asking you to put your credit card info into an email or in a Word doc? Do you know if he or she is scribbling down the number, security card and expiration date on a piece of paper or storing it in an encrypted system? There's a major difference.

jasondetar

Business of any type transacted is at risk. Wendy's had hundreds of store point of sale systems compromised last year as well as half a dozen tech companies had major breaches, and I can think of at least 3 Health companies with major breaches as well.

Besides being a travel advisor my background is in IT and I've personally completed several PCI DSS compliances.

IC's as it is being discussed here is simply a legal structure to utilize a function of a host agencies benefits. I've seen some large IC's with many employees of their own.

You should be concerned though with general security practices of your agent/advisor. How are they taking down your secure information? How are they transacting it? Do they store it in a PCI compliant environment? How does it get there? Encrypted VPN tunnels? SSL? etc?

You should have these conversations with your agent or advisor to discuss what their practices are and they need to know how to answer these kind of questions with confidence.

As a consumer I try to avoid dealing with companies who have a poor history of security but I also use good credit cards whenever possible to protect me. (hint: American Express has the most aggressive policies in favor of the consumer) Oh, and you're also protected by law.

jmann2380

So we are focusing in on a narrow portion of protecting yourself and your data. PCI compliance is great... secure personal and credit card information data practices by the agent is great... etc. If an agent doesn't follow these, then it's just negligent without necessary intent to harm.

But from my experience there are other things to worry about.

A) Are they booking directly with the hotel/resort or through a tour company or wholesaler for a larger commission. At that point the payment policy may be different and they are giving your information to an unknown 3rd party without your consent.

B) Outright fraud. Know the payment policy with the hotel/resort and follow-up that any deposits actually sent, made it to them. If your working with a new agent don't just trust blindly, check up on them until a rapport is created.

luxtrvlwrks

I am an independent contractor, and yes we are provided with the CRM software. There are no employees at my current host agency, but if there were they would use the exact same CRM. It is the industry standard.

juuceman

No, it's based on experience from both sides of the credit card/merchant process. If the charge is fraudulent, you have no responsibility. If you misunderstood the purchase, that's on you. If you're disputing a charge that you agreed to, but later want to reneg on for perceived slights, that's another issue. If you're seeking a chargeback because the merchant failed to deliver the goods or services, you'll receive a credit. If you don't comply with the terms, or you no show on a confirmed reservation, you'll be charged.

Some hotels might have one off policies where they send out the secure links. The vast majority of hotels in this world do not operate under such procedures and instead require a credit card at the time of booking. If you travel once a year and obsess over the details of the reservation such that handling a one time payment isn't an inconvenience, that's great. Those of us that travel frequently use an agent for the convenience, as well as the amenities or benefits that they offer.

fassy

That's all fine and nice... but isn't having not to worry about anything after hanging up the phone the idea of booking through a TA?

If I can't trust my TA to safeguard my personal and credit card data I wouldn't trust them to do anything on my behalf.

bigguyinpasadena

Exactly. The OP is using one specific bad experience (and posting multiple times about this bad experience) to paint a broadly frightening picture of Travel Agents-and giving a false set of limits and expectations to those considering using a Travel agent.

I sometime use an agent for two reasons: 1) Looking for a personal relationship that the agent has developed with properties 2) I sometimes have to help with very specific requirements from a hotel and letting the TA make the calls and set up the rooms to meet these requirements saves me a lot of time and trouble.

jmann2380

This is up for interpretation and when something is up for interpretation, sometimes you don't win. This is from 15 years being on both sides as well. Think of it like car insurance... even if my insurance will replace my car, I'm still going to drive safe as a preventable measure. Credit card protections should be thought of in the same manner.

Well my other thread was closed for posting specifics, so I can't really go into it. Bottom line is that this was sort of a PSA to at least think about these things. There are agents out there that will lie, commit fraud and theft. Even if it's just .00000001%, you should be cognizant that it can happen.

AND you won't know you can't trust them until it's too late.




Listen, this was suppose to be a productive thread on how to be a little safer when giving a stranger your personal info, but between the TA's feeling like they need to defend their career and other members acting like nothing ever bad could happen to them and if it did, they'll whip out their magical plastic bubble issued by AMEX... I'm just spinning my wheels trying to help.

Not sure why everyone is so defensive about this subject

AND had someone made a post like mine, I might not have had that bad experience. Have you thought of that?

Also no one here really knows to just what extent that bad experience was... you all would be shocked. But alas the mods don't want it all posted, so I won't.

There are a few on here that have private messaged me and can attest I'm not a lunatic on a rampage. The can also corroborate the extent of the situation that was had.

It's also so funny; in my closed thread, no one could believe that no one had posted on here with their bad experiences with said agent, even though there were 5-6 people posting and private messaging me with horrible stories.

Now I kind of understand why. It is not welcome here.

United747

I think the moral of the story is trust. I believe you that you had a bad experience, but that doesn't mean we all have.

I don't think there is a standard set of "dos and don'ts" for travel agent.

I'm happy to email my agent my CC numbers, address, etc. Others may not be.

I'm also one to specifically spell out what I want my agent to do. It makes it easy on both of us. That way there's no ambiguity. He can't say "you just told me to book a room, so I got the presidential suite at rack rate" and similarly I can't call him out for booking a $700 room at the hotel, since that is what I told him to do, and it's in writing.

juuceman

Again, I can't understand how something as straightforward as "please book me into the XXX room, at the XXX hotel, at the XXX rate" could be up for interpretation. Benefits over and above the rate booked are either guaranteed, i.e., breakfast is included, an additional amenity consisting of XXX, etc., or it's not guaranteed and at the discretion of the hotel, i.e., an upgrade based on availability, late checkout based on availability, early checkin based on availability. The agent delivered what they sold you on, or they didn't.

jmann2380

I 100% understand that. I'll use an TA in the future as well; I've said that multiple times. I'll just do a bit more due diligence and have my eyes a little wider is all.

jmann2380

You care correct, but we are way off track here.

Credit card disputes were not the intention of this thread. I had to get involved in one due to fraudulent charges, which should be covered by Chase at the end of the day, but I do wish I hadn't had to waste my time dealing with it. That was the point... it could have been prevented.

obscure2k

Closing thread per request of the OP
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator