Hotel Scam Warning

Here is a scam warning I heard about a while ago and posted onto the Inside Pages on TripAdvisor. I just received a bulletin from the hotel security directors association that indicated the scam was just perpetrated again at a local hotel.
==========================================================

There is a scam where people call hotels and ask to be connected to a room. They often ask for a common name like Smith, Jones, Wilson, etc. However, if someone calls a hotel and just asks for a room by the number, they are often connected without any screening procedures by the hotel. When the guest answers the phone in the room, the caller claims to be the hotel manager and says there is a problem with the credit card information at the front desk. The caller then asks the guest to repeat their credit card number and address. Some people have fallen for the scam and found thousands of dollars charged to their cards within minutes. Again, do not give out your credit card number to anyone who calls you. If the hotel management needs to verify your credit card information, tell them that you will go down to the front desk to do so.