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hiker1 Member
Joined: 29 Aug 2009 Posts: 1624 | TRs | Pics Location: West Coast |
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hiker1
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Wed Apr 23, 2014 9:47 pm
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Some motels and hotels require me to produce my drivers license to be scanned before I can register. I have questioned them about this, and usually they say it's so they can be sure it's me when I enter the establishment, and especially if I lose my room key/card. There is some merit in this explanation, but I still have a hard time allowing them to scan the license. They usually also say they destroy the records after a certain time. No way to verify this.
It did occur to me that I could carry a photo of myself and give that to the hotel. But the photo wouldn't have my name on it, unless I wrote my name. Or I could cover parts of the card before it was scanned, but that might invalidate the entire card from being scanned.
They also require my credit card to pay the bill. With the info on these 2 cards they have, or can access, almost every detail of me. They also have my email address.
In reading up on this issue, I found a Consumers Reports article which included this statement:
Quote: | The Washington State Department of Licensing’s website actually encourages the use of driver's licenses to collect data, providing details on how anyone can do so using common barcode readers that can be had for less than $30. |
Huh?
The WA government has a program Guard It! which is aimed at reducing identity theft.
Anyone know the law and regulations, if any, about use/misuse of a drivers license and ID cards? And other ways to check into hotels without providing a drivers licence or ID card?
falling leaves / hide the path / so quietly
~John Bailey, "Autumn," a haiku year, 2001, as posted on oldgreypoet.com
falling leaves / hide the path / so quietly
~John Bailey, "Autumn," a haiku year, 2001, as posted on oldgreypoet.com
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Seventy2002 Member
Joined: 19 Jul 2008 Posts: 512 | TRs | Pics
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Driver licenses in Washington are covered by RCW 46.20. I don't see anything there addressing your question.
Hotels are required, by RCW 19.48.020, to "keep a record of the arrival and departure of its guests in such a manner that the record will be a permanent one for at least one year from the date of departure" but the law doesn't specify what information must be recorded.
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Randito Snarky Member
Joined: 27 Jul 2008 Posts: 9513 | TRs | Pics Location: Bellevue at the moment. |
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Randito
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Thu Apr 24, 2014 7:42 am
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A drivers license has a bunch essential identity information that would go a long ways toward identity theft. Name, birthday and home address. After that an ID thief just needs SSN to cause havoc.
Some CC have the option of a photo of you on the card, I wonder if that would satisfy the desk clerk at the hotels in question.
A US passport card is another form of ID and only contains name and birthdate, plus it can be used for travel to Canada.
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Redwic Unlisted Free Agent
Joined: 23 Feb 2009 Posts: 3292 | TRs | Pics Location: Going to the Prom(inence) |
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Redwic
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Thu Apr 24, 2014 9:31 am
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I agree with the passport suggestion.
I have never had a problem showing my passport instead of my driver's license, to check into a hotel.
A U.S. passport is considered an official type of identification.
With that said, I have *never* had my driver's license or passport scanned at a hotel. As a former victim of identity theft, I would not be comfortable with that.
Plus, haven't you seen what happened to the people who did that in the "Hostel" movies???
60 pounds lighter but not 60 points brighter.
60 pounds lighter but not 60 points brighter.
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Seventy2002 Member
Joined: 19 Jul 2008 Posts: 512 | TRs | Pics
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RandyHiker wrote: | A US passport card is another form of ID and only contains name and birthdate, |
It also lists your place of birth, which is handy if somebody wants to get a copy of your birth certificate.
For a thief, the real prize is our credit card information and that's at risk every time we let someone else run it through the reader. Pay cash, if that's an unacceptable risk.
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Schroder Member
Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 6722 | TRs | Pics Location: on the beach |
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Schroder
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Thu Apr 24, 2014 10:52 am
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I stay at a lot of hotels and have never had my license or passport scanned. I usually book online and when I arrive at the hotel they just ask for the same credit card I used online. I've only had my credit card ripped off once in a hotel and that was in Hong Kong. Are these major chains you're going to?
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Schenk Off Leash Man
Joined: 16 Apr 2012 Posts: 2372 | TRs | Pics Location: Traveling, with the bear, to the other side of the Mountain |
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Schenk
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Thu Apr 24, 2014 12:06 pm
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A super creepy clerk at the Thunderbird Motel in Mountain Home, Idaho made my hair stand on end less than a month ago...he insisted that I hand him my DL and CC so he could verify what I wrote down on the reservation slip. He took them away from me (literally grabbed them out of my hand) then wrote down each and every piece of info on them again in a separate log book.
I questioned him and he gave me some excuse to the effect that the State of Idaho required him to record that info.
I thought that was a bunch of BS but I didn't want to jump the counter and grab my ID because then he would have cause to accuse me of something.
Then...he follows me out to my vehicle and stood there watching me while I unloaded my luggage.
I was using a company card so the billing info won't match my info and he is out of luck there but it gave me the creeps
I should have been more defensive...I shrugged it off at the time to him just being old and creepy.
I wish I would have grabbed my ID back from him and kept driving after reading this.
Nature exists with a stark indifference to humans' situation.
Nature exists with a stark indifference to humans' situation.
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hiker1 Member
Joined: 29 Aug 2009 Posts: 1624 | TRs | Pics Location: West Coast |
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hiker1
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Thu Apr 24, 2014 2:53 pm
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Thanks for the replies. I usually stay at low end motels, like Bellingham Lodge. They always ask for CC and DL scan.
Once I stayed at the Skagit Motel. Never again. Should put that in the thread for stores etc. that you will never go back to ever again.
Here's a link to what the barcodes have on you in WA drivers licenses and Enhanced DLs. Couldn't find a link for federal cards.
falling leaves / hide the path / so quietly
~John Bailey, "Autumn," a haiku year, 2001, as posted on oldgreypoet.com
falling leaves / hide the path / so quietly
~John Bailey, "Autumn," a haiku year, 2001, as posted on oldgreypoet.com
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Redwic Unlisted Free Agent
Joined: 23 Feb 2009 Posts: 3292 | TRs | Pics Location: Going to the Prom(inence) |
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Redwic
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Fri Apr 25, 2014 11:20 am
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Perhaps try a B&B or hostel, if you don't want the Ritz Carlton type of lodging.
Thanks for the tip regarding the Skagit Motel.
60 pounds lighter but not 60 points brighter.
60 pounds lighter but not 60 points brighter.
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tigermn Member
Joined: 10 Jul 2007 Posts: 9242 | TRs | Pics Location: There... |
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tigermn
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Fri Apr 25, 2014 2:01 pm
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Schenk wrote: | A super creepy clerk at the Thunderbird Motel in Mountain Home, Idaho made my hair stand on end less than a month ago... |
Are you sure you weren't staying at Motel Hell?
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sarbar Living The Dream
Joined: 28 Jan 2002 Posts: 8055 | TRs | Pics Location: Freeland, Wa |
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sarbar
Living The Dream
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Fri Apr 25, 2014 9:28 pm
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I'm going to hedge that the low-end hotel/motels are doing that for a reason: unsavory clientele.
While I have been asked for my ID at every place I can think of that I have stayed at, most are just to compare face to name to CC name. I notice as the place goes lower in quality then they care about your vehicle and its plates. Upper scale? Couldn't care - or rather they don't want to set a customer off who is buying "an experience". So when I stay at Marriot properties or similar, I get the full on Ma'am treatment where they intrude as little as they can. But oh lord, stay a night at a dumpy motel in Forks and you'd think they needed a retina scan. Ironically, the same $$ is often spent at either place ;-)
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hiker1 Member
Joined: 29 Aug 2009 Posts: 1624 | TRs | Pics Location: West Coast |
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hiker1
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Fri Apr 25, 2014 9:40 pm
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sarbar wrote: | Ironically, the same $$ is often spent at either place ;-) |
Actually the Bellingham Lodge is not too bad, usually about $50/night single. I emailed the owner and got the reply that if I really did not want to have my DL scanned, just tell the clerk on duty. But I have told the night clerk (I usually arrive late) that I don't want it scanned and she says you have to agree to have it scanned in order to stay here. Even though she knows me because I've stayed there a few times. I'll have to get back to the owner.
Once I stayed there when I needed a meeting room at night and instead of opening it she allowed me to have the meeting in the breakfast room, no charge. Can't complain about that.
falling leaves / hide the path / so quietly
~John Bailey, "Autumn," a haiku year, 2001, as posted on oldgreypoet.com
falling leaves / hide the path / so quietly
~John Bailey, "Autumn," a haiku year, 2001, as posted on oldgreypoet.com
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