What's occurring here then....?

[R1Geezer]

I'm trying to decide if this is some sort of identity harvesting scheme. Here's what happened. A mate of mine's wife's dad died, in Brazil, my mates Mrs is trying to get an air ticket today, unfortunately they haven't got a credit card they can use, anyway good mate that I am I said I'd put it on mine. So I'm trying to buy an air ticket for someone else, simple! Nope! They want me to fax them a copy of my passport and both sides of my credit card and I have to sign some sort of legal doc they are also going to fax me. No way jose, why do they need all that? I would have thought as long as they get the dosh they'd be happy, seems very iffy to me, What do you all think? The firm is Crystal Travel, Oxford Circus.

[hc4361]

Buying air tickets in another person's name is a favoured use of stolen credit cards.

[Mr Veritas]

As hc4361 says,
Travel Agents/Airlines?Hotels/Shops etc are very wary of people paying for any service on a Credit Card for someone else's name.
My Grandson is reservations manager for a 5 star hotel,and they will not entertain this.The person that the booking is in the name of has to be the holder of the credit card.
Too many stolen credit card (numbers) and identity fraud going on,so they have to be certain who/what/why you are.
If YOUR Credit Card was stolen you would want them to be sure it WAS yours,wouldn't you?

[R1Geezer]

Yes, I see, thanks all.