Help me out here, lawyers!

By: Ben Schlappig

Published: June 4, 2009

20 comments

OK, you don’t even have to be a lawyer to help me out here. I have an advanced purchase booking for a Priority Club property in California this weekend which apparently makes a habit of photocopying ID’s at check-in, even of guests paying with credit cards.

Obviously I find this to be unacceptable and unnecessary, but based on the reports I’ve heard, this hotel doesn’t budge. I’ll make a scene if I have to, and as a matter of principle will under no circumstance let them photocopy my ID. I’ll be arriving late at night, so chances are that there won’t be anyone in a position of power around.

So, can anyone arm me with the tools needed to put up a fight? Who knows, maybe I’ll get lucky and they’ve reconsidered this stance in the meantime, but I think it would be nice to be “armed” should the need occur, and I think this is an interesting topic in general (along with credit card minimum purchases, photo ID when using a credit card at many establishments, etc.).

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lucky New Member

June 25, 2009, 1:17 pm

@ travelingrd -- I ended up showing my drivers license, but that's a whole different story. I need to make a post about that, now that I think about it. @ tia -- Interesting, but I do have one question. For the two hotels I've stayed at now that have photocopied ID's, both offered to return the copies at check-out. I'm not sure how that would help them in the long run then, if I were to dispute a charge....

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tia Guest

June 25, 2009, 1:06 pm

Just a note from the hotel's perspective... I work at a hotel in a resort area and we just got a note from management this morning stating that we would now be required to photo copy ID's when presented with a credit card. It's going to be a huge inconvenience to everyone, but they have decided to go this direction because we had three transactions in the last month reversed due to stolen credit card claims. It doesn't matter if we compared credit card to ID at check-in... all the credit card company needs is a challenge by the card holder to refund the payment. If they signed the registration card differently than usual, they can claim stolen card and we are out the money. A photo copied ID helps hotels prevent fraud. The photo credit cards are wonderful though, and make things much simpler on both sides.

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travelingrd Guest

June 16, 2009, 9:51 am

Also, the credit card companies say you cannot discriminate against credit cards over cash. I've seen hotels demand more from the few cash paying customers than from credit card users. A Hampton Inn I often stay at required (but did not copy) my ID the first time, but has never asked on return visits. I'm not sure if the hotel changed their policy or flagged me as a previous stayer. The hotel was new the first visit. On my most recent trip the lady behind me was paying in cash and I believe they did copy her license. For non Hiltons I present a photo credit card and that has been fine for the majority of hotels.

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travelingrd Guest

June 16, 2009, 9:46 am

There is also the simple quid-pro-quo approach. Say you will only allow them to photo copy yours if they give you a photo copy of theirs. You should be able to know who has a copy of your information. Which ID did you end up providing?

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lucky New Member

June 8, 2009, 11:17 am

Thanks for all the help, guys. As a slight update, they did want to photocopy my ID but said they'd give it back to me at check-out. Due to some other circumstances at check-in (a completely stoned agent and a pissed off cab driver that was waiting to get paid), I didn't push it, but I'll speak to the manager today.

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