Dear surfers,

Even the most ardent fans of the Internet - Naked Surfer included - have to take the odd step back, and ask whether or not the online travel community is vigilant enough about online security.

The answer invariably is that most out there do follow practices that ensure the safety of their members, in protecting them from bottom-feeders such as those who forge credit cards.

But the key point is sadly, industries are often as safe as their weakest members, at least in the eyes of an alarmist media, and a public for whom Internet booking is still a relatively recent phenomenon.

Many of us, NS included, have long wondered why credit card systems are not being made more secure, as seemingly everything else is. And fellow blogger The BOOT (The Business of Online Travel) has a scary story to share.

The site sticks its BOOT into a pair of sites, Booking.com and Centralr.com, for what is says is a "terrible customer credit card security." It notes,

"I have in my inbox a fax from Booking.com to a hotel to confirm a reservation. In this standard reservation fax are the following details about a customer - his full name, credit card number (all of it), CVC number (that's right the secret number that is supposed to protect you from fraud) and the credit card expiry date. That is right - everything that any fraudster would need to rip off this customer left and right."

Read the full story here. As with all such stories, give those accused the benefit of the doubt first - and monitor the blog for the company's right of reply.

But also ask yourself, if such allegations are correct, does the fault entirely with the site - or should credit card companies also share some responsibility for an infrastructure that in today's light, often seems painfully insecure?

Either way, it's an issue that all shopping surfers - Naked or otherwise - will surely be monitoring carefully.

Peace,
Naked Surfer