topic Re: Best way to "shred" a CC? in Credit Cards

Best way to "shred" a CC?

bichonmom — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:12:04 GMT

I haven't had CCs for so long, this wasn't an issue. I used to just cut them in half and throw them away. But now, with so much CC fraud, identity theft, and internet sales (so the physical card isn't even needed!), I am not sure the best way to destroy a CC. It's actually an expired debit card that I have to toss, but same principle applies.

BTW, I know people talk about shredding them, but my shredder couldn't shred a CC -- only paper. So I figured that's just a figure of speech.

Thanks!

Re: Best way to "shred" a CC?

Anonymous — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:14:59 GMT

I shred them in my shredder It's a crappy $25 shredder I bought from Amazon, but it'll chew threw credit cards or a couple of pieces of paper at a time.

Realistically, you could just cut the card with scissors and throw the pieces in two separate trash cans. Or if you have a fire place, burn it. The magnetic strip and embossed card number regions are the only important ones anyway, you could cut those from the card, toss the rest of the plastic, and then destroy those two sections as you see fit.

Re: Best way to "shred" a CC?

MarineVietVet — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:16:47 GMT

@bichonmom wrote:
I haven't had CCs for so long, this wasn't an issue. I used to just cut them in half and throw them away. But now, with so much CC fraud, identity theft, and internet sales (so the physical card isn't even needed!), I am not sure the best way to destroy a CC. It's actually an expired debit card that I have to toss, but same principle applies.

BTW, I know people talk about shredding them, but my shredder couldn't shred a CC -- only paper. So I figured that's just a figure of speech.

Thanks!

My old shredder won't work on CC's either so I go low tech with a pair of scissors. I cut the card into 5 equal pieces. I put piece #1, #3, and #5 in the trash that day. In a week or so I will throw away piece #2 and #4. That way the separate pieces can never be put together.

This works for me so I'm happy with it. I can't see buying a new shredder just for CC's.

Outyped by Andy!!

Re: Best way to "shred" a CC?

Skinnyminnie — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:19:20 GMT

I remember one time I was up in the mountains with a friend during a nice snowstorm. We decided we'd try to play survivor men and tried starting a fire with various things on our body. Turns out the debit card made the best starter. Better than the wet twigs and sock!

Re: Best way to "shred" a CC?

bichonmom — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:23:08 GMT

Thanks, everyone! I think I'll do what MV said. It's kind of silly to have to wait a week in between throwing it away, but better safe than sorry! Tomorrow's trash day, so I'm headed out to the garbage.

Re: Best way to "shred" a CC?

Anonymous — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:24:11 GMT

I cut down the numbers, then throw one half in one trash can, and one half in either another totally seperate one, or down the toilet, so the whole card cannot be put back together.

Yay ingenuity!

Re: Best way to "shred" a CC?

frogfan12 — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:29:08 GMT

I just cut my CCs up into a lot of small pieces. No shredder necessary.

Re: Best way to "shred" a CC?

Anonymous — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:32:15 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
..... down the toilet ....

Yay ingenuity!

Bad Idea! Some risk of causing a clog.

Re: Best way to "shred" a CC?

bichonmom — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:48:44 GMT

Great idea for an invention: a miniature paper-cutter, designed just for credit cards, with multiple blades that go down and slice the CC into small 1/4" slices.

Re: Best way to "shred" a CC?

MarineVietVet — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:54:56 GMT

@bichonmom wrote:
Thanks, everyone! I think I'll do what MV said. It's kind of silly to have to wait a week in between throwing it away, but better safe than sorry! Tomorrow's trash day, so I'm headed out to the garbage.

I said a week but in truth around my house the trash has to be taken out much more frequently than once a week.

Another thing I do sometimes is toss several of the pieces in the bottom of my shredder. It's usually several weeks before I empty that out so that's a safe solution also IMO.

Re: Best way to "shred" a CC?

bichonmom — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:58:10 GMT

Well, I've heard that there are people who go through trash. I don't know if there's truth to it or not, but I thought by your post, you meant a week in between when the garbage is picked up -- just to be on the safe side.

Re: Best way to "shred" a CC?

MarineVietVet — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 05:00:51 GMT

@bichonmom wrote:
Well, I've heard that there are people who go through trash. I don't know if there's truth to it or not, but I thought by your post, you meant a week in between when the garbage is picked up -- just to be on the safe side.

The time between trash pick ups definitely needs to be taken into account because as you say there are people who go through trash.

Re: Best way to "shred" a CC?

pizzadude — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 05:12:40 GMT

I'd take the cards out to the shooting range and run a few rounds thru, that usually make nice big holes

Re: Best way to "shred" a CC?

visorboy1974 — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 05:23:17 GMT

Shredder or scissors work fine for me.

Re: Best way to "shred" a CC?

bichonmom — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 05:37:57 GMT

Thank you for everyone's ideas! I really liked the idea of putting the pieces in different trash cans, so that the pieces can't be put back together. 4 slices are in my garbage now and the rest will be in next week's garbage.

Re: Best way to "shred" a CC?

CreditScholar — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 09:31:11 GMT

What about cards like the CSP? How do you shred those?

Re: Best way to "shred" a CC?

LS2982 — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 10:32:40 GMT

@bichonmom wrote:
I haven't had CCs for so long, this wasn't an issue. I used to just cut them in half and throw them away. But now, with so much CC fraud, identity theft, and internet sales (so the physical card isn't even needed!), I am not sure the best way to destroy a CC. It's actually an expired debit card that I have to toss, but same principle applies.

BTW, I know people talk about shredding them, but my shredder couldn't shred a CC -- only paper. So I figured that's just a figure of speech.

Thanks!

Spend $30 bucks and get a good shredder that can cut vertically and horizontally and do credit cards. Best option out there other than attcking it with scissors!

Re: Best way to "shred" a CC?

Anonymous — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:29:17 GMT

@bichonmom wrote:
Great idea for an invention: a miniature paper-cutter, designed just for credit cards, with multiple blades that go down and slice the CC into small 1/4" slices.

Sorry bichonmom, some one beat you to it

http://www.uncommongoods.com/reviews/pwr/product-reviews/desktop/office-tools/p/17291-SHREDDER-SCISSORS.html

Re: Best way to "shred" a CC?

Anonymous — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:47:29 GMT

I think if you're cutting them up because they're cancelled, there's not a big risk of anyone searching throught a trash truck or landfill and putting pieces together, is there? Which seems unlikely, anyway.

I'm too lazy to place pieces in different trash cans, but (since I ruined my shredder by shredding cards), I do something like this:

Cut horizontally through the account number, then vertically so that's in at least four pieces. Then I cut through my name , also. I don't like my full name being out there in the trash, even.

I think that's it. Maybe I destroy the expiration date or the security code. I think about six pieces is suffiicient, and then it goes deep into the trash (with small children around, you want to make sure no sharp pieces are left - those can be pretty pointy.)

Re: Best way to "shred" a CC?

AllPro — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:56:06 GMT

I also burn them in a bonfire. No one will ever get my info.