SPB Tours Visa Payment Form

I have just received an email from SPB-Tours regarding my upcoming 2 day tour of St Petersburg wherein they have asked me to complete a card authorization form (attached)

This form asks not only for my card number but expiry, CVV, signature and billing address. I am very uncomfortable at the thought of all this information floating around Russia on this piece of paper, surely this would be a huge risk for identity theft.

My question is has anybody else toured with SPB-Tours, paid using this form and if so did you have any problems as a result of it?

Many thanks

Gail

Authorization cc with stamp.pdf

This is a private tour? You generally can't use a credit card without that info.

It shouldn't be an issue with identity theft, just possibly the card itself.

If possible, use a card that you will not use to travel with-- I've had cards cancelled during trips because they were stolen and used domestically while I was abroad. It's a huge hassle!!

We toured with SPB Tours (Loved it) but we opted to pay in cash, which is usually done on the second day of your 2 day tour.

Cheers

Len

We also paid in cash

We sent in our passport info but we weren't asked for credit card info. We didn't set up a private tour, however.

I would not be comfortable giving that info either...and really no reason for it. We did a private tour (just the two of us with guide & driver) with TJ Travel and at no time were we asked for this info...We paid US$'s on our 2nd tour day.

We are using SPB tours and received the form. My understanding was that form is handed in when you pay for the tour. The letter also explained what to do if using cash. I would think the information is no different than the information you would be supplying anyway if you are using a charge. ( giving your address is optional). I thought perhaps there have been questions when charges are sent from Russia and this form was one they sent to credit card company to show legitimate nature of charge. If anyone has experience, good or bad, with this form, hope to hear about it.

SPB Tours is very reputable. We paid that way with no issues.

We've had more problems with US restaurants cloning cards than any online or paper information like that.

The CC company always eats the fraud anyway, they want your ongoing business.

Plus, I would worry much more about carrying that amount of US cash than any CC fraud.

Thank you all for your responses. Particularly mrmoviezombie you have set my mind at rest.

Thanks again

Gail

Requiring the card billing address is done when cards are not present. They do not charge in Russia, it is done in their office which is in Germany, which also handles all the correspondence, web site etc. If a company changes using your card to swipe, none of that is needed, but if a company send it off to another location without the card present, they need it.

I am not sure if I read the form correctly or not. My understanding of the need to put address ( and business name ) was that it was optional. I thought that may be if it is a company credit card and not being billed to an individual. Did I misinterpret?

I am not sure if I read the form correctly or not. My understanding of the need to put address ( and business name ) was that it was optional. I thought that may be if it is a company credit card and not being billed to an individual. Did I misinterpret?

Well done, I hadn't even noticed that little asterisk, that makes me feel much happier

Thank you

Gail