topic Re: Questions About Metal Cards in Credit Cards

Questions About Metal Cards

Angko — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 03:07:00 GMT

I heard that CSP and United Mileage Club cards are metal and don't have raised numbers unlike the traditional plastic cards. If a credit card terminal is offline, can an imprinting machine take these card. Can an ATM take these cards? And once it reaches its expiration date, how do you cut it in half? Just curious as I don't have one yet.

Re: Questions About Metal Cards

CreditScholar — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 03:14:01 GMT

@Angko wrote:
I heard that CSP and United Mileage Club cards are metal and don't have raised numbers unlike the traditional plastic cards. If a credit card terminal is offline, can an imprinting machine take these card. Can an ATM take these cards? And once it reaches its expiration date, how do you cut it in half? Just curious as I don't have one yet.

1. No, they can't be imprinted as far as I know. The non-raised numbers was designed with several fraud issues in mind, and I'm pretty sure this is one of them.

2. Yes, ATMs can take these cards.

3. You can't cut them in half, and even a blowtorch won't destroy them. When your cards expire, you're sent return envelopes in the mail. You then send those cards back to the issuing bank.

Re: Questions About Metal Cards

Angko — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 03:21:01 GMT

Wow! Thanks for the info. Thinking of applying sometime next month. Just waiting for my util ratio to report on my CRA (< 9%). Thanks CScholar!!!

Re: Questions About Metal Cards

scenery_guy — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 03:32:02 GMT

@CreditScholar wrote:
@Angko wrote:
I heard that CSP and United Mileage Club cards are metal and don't have raised numbers unlike the traditional plastic cards. If a credit card terminal is offline, can an imprinting machine take these card. Can an ATM take these cards? And once it reaches its expiration date, how do you cut it in half? Just curious as I don't have one yet.
1. No, they can't be imprinted as far as I know. The non-raised numbers was designed with several fraud issues in mind, and I'm pretty sure this is one of them.

2. Yes, ATMs can take these cards.

3. You can't cut them in half, and even a blowtorch won't destroy them. When your cards expire, you're sent return envelopes in the mail. You then send those cards back to the issuing bank.

Ha! I'm a fabricator of sorts and I can promise you I have dozens of ways to cut my CSP in half and a simple pair of hardware store aviation snips would work well. It wouldn't last a second under the flame of an acetylene torch or a plasma cutter. FWIW we don't call them blowtorches anymore.

Re: Questions About Metal Cards

CreditScholar — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:13:23 GMT

@scenery_guy wrote:
@CreditScholar wrote:
@Angko wrote:
I heard that CSP and United Mileage Club cards are metal and don't have raised numbers unlike the traditional plastic cards. If a credit card terminal is offline, can an imprinting machine take these card. Can an ATM take these cards? And once it reaches its expiration date, how do you cut it in half? Just curious as I don't have one yet.
1. No, they can't be imprinted as far as I know. The non-raised numbers was designed with several fraud issues in mind, and I'm pretty sure this is one of them.

2. Yes, ATMs can take these cards.

3. You can't cut them in half, and even a blowtorch won't destroy them. When your cards expire, you're sent return envelopes in the mail. You then send those cards back to the issuing bank.
Ha! I'm a fabricator of sorts and I can promise you I have dozens of ways to cut my CSP in half and a simple pair of hardware store aviation snips would work well. It wouldn't last a second under the flame of an acetylene torch or a plasma cutter. FWIW we don't call them blowtorches anymore.

That's good to know! I was reading a blog where a guy tried to destroy his that way, and there was a picture of the aluminum layer underneath with all of the plastic gone. Of course I'm guessing he isn't a professional like you are, so you probably have many more ways to destroy that thing.

It's like the old saying "there's more than one way to skin a cat".

Re: Questions About Metal Cards

Angko — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:31:46 GMT

Or maybe just put the card in a glass of H2SO4 until it melts. Haha!

Re: Questions About Metal Cards

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:36:58 GMT

I received my CSP with the numbers raised.

Re: Questions About Metal Cards

Angko — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:39:18 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I received my CSP with the numbers raised.

Hhhmmm, are there 2 versions of CSP? Plastic and Metal?

Re: Questions About Metal Cards

OnTheRebound — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:43:47 GMT

Take my word for it, I can cut it into hundred pieces, even if it was an inch thick with minimal effort. Being a credit card, the thickness, 1/32 inch, 0.76 mm, .0300 inch (I just measured my plastic Freedom. The metal ones may be thicker, I don't know) a pair of heavy duty scissors will do the trick, if not, then tin snips for sure.

Re: Questions About Metal Cards

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:57:36 GMT

I believe it always had a metal center which is sandwiched between two hard plastics.

I think Chase raised the numbers because international vendors may still be imprinting cards.

Re: Questions About Metal Cards

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:46:43 GMT

@Angko wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
I received my CSP with the numbers raised.
Hhhmmm, are there 2 versions of CSP? Plastic and Metal?

Chase Sapphire is plastic. Chase Sapphire Preferred is metal.

Re: Questions About Metal Cards

FinStar — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:50:04 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Angko wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
I received my CSP with the numbers raised.
Hhhmmm, are there 2 versions of CSP? Plastic and Metal?
Chase Sapphire is plastic. Chase Sapphire Preferred is metal.

@Anonymous:

CSP is available in BOTH metal and plastic. It is issued as a standard a metal card; however, individuals can also request a plastic version of the card if they prefer.

Re: Questions About Metal Cards

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:51:55 GMT

@FinStar wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Angko wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
I received my CSP with the numbers raised.
Hhhmmm, are there 2 versions of CSP? Plastic and Metal?
Chase Sapphire is plastic. Chase Sapphire Preferred is metal.
@Anonymous:

CSP is available in BOTH metal and plastic. It is issued as a standard a metal card; however, individuals can also request a plastic version of the card if they prefer.

Ah, I see. Sorry for the wrong information.

Re: Questions About Metal Cards

romey050500 — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:54:33 GMT

The numbers are raised on my CSP also

Re: Questions About Metal Cards

Angko — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 05:08:59 GMT

When you apply for CSP, do they ask if you want it in plastic or metal?

Re: Questions About Metal Cards

E150GT — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 05:33:24 GMT

no. They just send the metal.

Re: Questions About Metal Cards

daybreakgonesXe — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 05:40:33 GMT

@Angko wrote:
I heard that CSP and United Mileage Club cards are metal and don't have raised numbers unlike the traditional plastic cards. If a credit card terminal is offline, can an imprinting machine take these card. Can an ATM take these cards? And once it reaches its expiration date, how do you cut it in half? Just curious as I don't have one yet.

Typically when a credit card terminal is offline, at most major retailers we use the phone to finish the transaction, by simply punching in the account number, account expiration, CVV2, and purchase amount. Then, for the computer to spit out a receipt, a confirmation code is given, and the system registers it as paid.

I believe my store in particular ended the "imprinting" about two or three years ago, simply because CC and debit card issuers began printing non-embossed cards. Everything goes through electronically, therefore our registers have no need to print a slip to imprint the card. The CVV2 is good enough! This method is also used when the magnetic card won't swipe. Previously, we had to input the card # and expiration, and then imprint. Now, instead of imprinting, we input the CVV2.

Re: Questions About Metal Cards

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:05:54 GMT

It's always been my goal to have a metal card.. it simply makes a statement. Anybody out there that could tell me all of the cards that are actually obtainable, that are metal... you know, not the amex haha.

Re: Questions About Metal Cards

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:15:27 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
It's always been my goal to have a metal card.. it simply makes a statement. Anybody out there that could tell me all of the cards that are actually obtainable, that are metal... you know, not the amex haha.

Off the top of my head:

CSP

Chase Marriott (Premier? Whatever the one with the AF is called)

Chase United Club

JP Morgan Ritz Carlton

The "unobtainable" ones (for the average person):

JP Morgan Palladium

Amex Centurion

Re: Questions About Metal Cards

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:40:54 GMT

@FinStar wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Angko wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
I received my CSP with the numbers raised.
Hhhmmm, are there 2 versions of CSP? Plastic and Metal?
Chase Sapphire is plastic. Chase Sapphire Preferred is metal.
@Anonymous:

CSP is available in BOTH metal and plastic. It is issued as a standard a metal card; however, individuals can also request a plastic version of the card if they prefer.

Not sure how accurate my CSR was but when I called to request a plastic version for travel purposes, she said they do not offer a plastic version.