Faxing Credit Card Authorization?

[Craig123]

I'm in the insurance industry in Canada. Canada has pretty strict privacy legislation and for good reason. The companies I deal with discourage emailed personal information (especially credit card information). Such faxed information is, however, accepted. It's less likely to be hijacked. Such intercepted data can be used for obvious bad purposes. I am reluctant to email credit card information and prefer a secure online site or a verbal. My advice would be:

1 - Verbally provide the information (no paper OR electronic trail). Assuming the data is later destroyed.
2 - Use a secure online payment site such as Paypal or intuit or a secure website like Moneris or a similar respected company.
3 - Fax the information...ensuring your fax number is legit!!!!!!! and assume the data is later destroyed.

In the "old days", scum bags would simply pick the credit card carbons out from waste paper baskets or waste bins to obtain the required data. That similar risk still exists with faxes and phoned in information along with the potential for compromised electronic data.

Just saying.

Post script: Marko makes valid points regarding being a return customer "waive it until you reach" if possible. Failing that I personally would still fax an authorization knowing it's a valid number AND TRUSTING THE INFORMATION WOULD BE DESTROYED AFTER USE. Same thing with a verbal. Secure Online stands on it's own but is not without some risk.

OK let's face it......pretty much every remote method of payment has some risk. As in the insurance industry, it's a matter of managing that risk as much as reasonably possible..

Respect.