Did your credit card expire recently, or do you have a slew of old credit cards you do not use anymore?
Or perhaps you think the card you use currently may have gotten compromised online?
Having your old credit cards on you is pretty risky as it could lead to your identity getting stolen. Do not think cutting them up with scissors and trashing them will work. Identity thieves are known to go through people's trash and get access to their critical information, like the information for their credit account, their numbers for social security, and others.
So what's the proper way to get rid of your old credit cards?
If you want to dispose of the credit cards that you no longer use, here are a few safe ways to do it;
Using your scissors works but ensures you divide up the four sections of your card number and divide each of those sections into four or six parts, and cut out your name and signature separately in the same format.
Feel free to cut it up more because your goal is to make it a very complex puzzle that no identity thief or yourself could piece back together.
If you do not have the time for this, you could try using a shredder that handles plastic and paper. Some shredders are designed specifically for credit cards. Though they cost almost twice the amount of the regular paper shredder, they are a good investment in protecting your credit and identity.
You can destroy all documents with your credit account details to be on the safe side too.
Before cutting your card, you can deactivate the strip with a strong magnet by running it back and forth on the surface of the strip. Repeat the same thing on the other side of the card to ensure it is entirely useless. Magnetic strips are the long black part of your card that runs from one end to another.
After you do that, destroy the RFID chip in front of your card with a hammer. It is the short metallic square above your credit card number.
After applying these tips, a very desperate identity thief can still piece them together, so increase the security of your information, mix up the bits (if they are not already) and separate them into different trash bags or cans. You may take some weeks to dispose of all the pieces, but this third step ensures that nobody can find everything in one location and piece them together again.
Many people think that disposing of their old credit cards in the recycle bin works better than using the regular garbage can. Unknown to them, a worker might pick them up as a non-recyclable item from a conveyor belt. So this is a bad idea.
Burning sounds like an excellent idea until you hear its implication on your health. Melting your old credit card with fire is bad for your health as it releases furans, sulfur oxide, hydrochloric acid, and some other toxins that are bad for your body system.
Disposing of your old credit cards is good, but make sure you also update your subscription accounts, so you do not get cut off from essential services.
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