Quote:

He would tell clients to just give them their credit card numbers

  I got burned that way once too by an outfitter I used to rent a canoe to do a brook trout fishing trip on the Fox River in the UP. I said I just wanted a canoe, had my own life-jacket/paddle.
  Get there and see they had billed for both the items.
Since it was already on the account, I just got them to give me the same amount in merchadise from their store.

Now if they want my credit card number I decline and tell them I'll send a certified check or pay them out of my PayPal account.