Panama Forum

tlc1234
Joined 2015
Posts: 12

8 years ago

pre-signing blank credit card copies

8 years ago

I'm credit card confused - In following the advice of other travelers and my bank, I used a real credit card (not debit) for my transactions when we came to Panama. However, I was very surprised when the car rental (Hertz) and then our PC hotel (Riande Aeropuerto) both presented me with the old-fashioned carbon-copied receipts to use with my credit card. The kind where they put your card in the machine and swipe back and forth to imprint your information on the copies. This was OK, till they asked me to pre-sign the copies with my information swiped on them and no amount written in. RED FLAG! I suggested this was like pre-signing a blank check for them. I tried to refuse but they said I would not receive the car/hotel room without doing it this way. They would then keep the signed copies in their drawer till the car was returned or we checked out and they would fill in the amount. EEK! My information is all sitting in their drawer for all to see the entire time. I've traveled to other locations in CA and the Caribbean and don't recall having been asked to do this. Other credit card transactions have been "swiped" in the normal way. Even 30 years ago when the US used the carbon copies I don't recall ever being asked to pre-sign a blank copy like this. Is this really the norm? Any suggestions for the next time?

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