Quick ? about filling out Norton Symantec mail-in-rebate

[Matt_]

There's a $40 mail-in-rebate for the Partition Magic 8.0 that I bought with a credit card. The store receipt doesn't have the whole credit # printed on the receipt -- just the last four digits. Even so, before I send in the requested copy of the receipt, I was considering using correction fluid and blotting out those four numbers. But you hear about people whose rebates were denied for dumb technicalities -- and in this case, the rules for the rebate say "Handwritten or altered documents will not be accepted". Regarding credit card fraud, do I have anything to worry about if some stranger(s) at the rebate center is/are handling a store receipt with the last four credit card digits ?
The other thing is that the form requests a copy of (as opposed to the original) store receipt, while later on the form says "warning: reproduction, purchase, sale, or trade of this certificate, proof of purchase or cash register receipt is prohibited" -- I thought that was a bit of amusing conflicting information.

[egibbs]

I wouldn't sweat the last 4, but your mileage may vary.

The want a copy of the receipt and the original rebate form.

Ed Gibbs

[hausman]

Regarding credit card fraud, do I have anything to worry about if some stranger(s) at the rebate center is/are handling a store receipt with the last four credit card digits ?

Highly unlikely. This is now pretty standard on receipts. It's intended to prevent card number theft while still allowing you to identify which of your CCs you used in this transaction. The first few digits of your credit card number identify the type of card (VISA, MC, etc.) and the issuing bank. The last four digits are just part of your unique number (the last digit is checksum IIRC.)

Edit: see e.g. http://www.beachnet.com/~hstiles/cardtype.html

The other thing is that the form requests a copy of (as opposed to the original) store receipt, while later on the form says "warning: reproduction, purchase, sale, or trade of this certificate, proof of purchase or cash register receipt is prohibited" -- I thought that was a bit of amusing conflicting information.

That's not all that unusual with rebates. The rebate companies are sticklers about the UPS being an original -- otherwise people could submit multiple rebates for the same purchase -- but they have to be flexible on receipts because some people also have to submit originals to their employers for expense reimbursement.

[Matt_]

Thank you both for your help and the information on how this process works; I learned something new.

Thanks again