Putting your credit card number in an email isn't very secure, right?

[iamme]

i was trying to order a spare part via phone and the lady kept telling me to put my credit card number in an email to her. i kept asking if they had a secure online ordering page, but she kept assuring me that she does 99% of her business with credit card #'s in email.

my only other options were to fax the # or call it in.

am i right to be paranoid about this?

 

[moshquerade]

why couldn't you tell her your CC # over the phone?

you editted.

i would say give it over the phone. either way - if someone wants to they can get your CC number anyways i suppose

 

[iamme]

Originally posted by: moshquerade
why couldn't you tell her you CC # over the phone?

the logistics there suck. she said she needed an order in writing (email or fax) first. she wouldn't just let me order the part over the phone

 

[OffTopic1]

Deal with another company.

 

[oniq]

Considering the email would pass through various servers, you have a reason to be paranoid.

 

[Jzero]

I would never...

 

[iamme]

Originally posted by: OffTopic
Deal with another company.

problem is, this is a dry cleaning machine spare part. it's not like i can just enter it into pricewatch

 

[PunDogg]

then fax it to her, i would never send my CC through email

Dogg

 

[ggavinmoss]

Fax it.

-geoff

 

[Bulk Beef]

I've split credit card numbers between two e-mails sent ten or fifteen minutes apart. Not ideal, but better than sending it in one message (which I wouldn't do).

 

[TwinkleToes77]

just fax it.

 

[Hammer]

secure encrypted email or fax it.

sooooo... just fax it.

 

[azazyel]

fax it....

 

[MercenaryForHire]

The same type of people who do that also send money to long-lost Nigerian Princes.

Fax it.

- M4H

 

[geno]

Originally posted by: sward666
I've split credit card numbers between two e-mails sent ten or fifteen minutes apart. Not ideal, but better than sending it in one message (which I wouldn't do).

yeah, as a last resort this is a preferred method

 

[Mallow]

Get a temporary credit card number (think most companies do this, I know mbna does). You can put a spending and time limit on it

 

[iamme]

well, i ended up emailing the order (so they could have a hard copy) and then calling in the CC#.

kind of hassle, but better safe than sorry.

thanks for confirming my paranoia.