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. > > >
