# Even Torn-Up Credit Card Applications Aren't Safe **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 15, 2006, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480 "2006-03-15T17:05:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480/1 "2006-03-15T17:05:39Z")
I figure this is bound for the Pit anyway, once people start commenting on the satanic minions of the credit card companies, so I might as well just post it here: > [@Bob Sullivan](#): > > What if a desperate identity thief digging through your trash found a credit card application ripped into little pieces, taped it back together, filled it out and mailed it in? Would he get the credit card? > > The answer, according to one man’s experiment, is clearly yes… The link is to “The Torn-Up Credit Card Application”, a tale of how one man tore up one of those junk-mail credit-card applications, taped it back together, filled it in with a change of address (to his father’s place) and phone number (to his cell phone), sent it in, and got himself a shiny new credit card. ---
**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480/2 "2006-03-15T17:13:07Z")
Hm…what’s the opposite of “reassuring”? Time to see if I can cash in another one of those free credit reports… ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480/3 "2006-03-15T17:15:02Z")
That’s why it’s important to eat one or two sections from the center when tear one of those up. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480/4 "2006-03-15T17:29:34Z")
> [@saoirse](#): > > That’s why it’s important to eat one or two sections from the center when tear one of those up. Actually, what I’ve done is soak a few pieces in water, then smoosh them into pulp. I guess that amounts to simulated chewing. Usually, it’s the pieces that contain critical information. I’m not surprised that they’d process it. I mean, I don’t think it’s a _good_ thing that they did, but you know there has to have been some yutz who complained that the company didn’t process his legitimately taped-together application. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480/5 "2006-03-15T17:30:29Z")
Don’t you have to put your social security number on those applications? Are we assuming the thieves have such information? ---
**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480/6 "2006-03-15T18:27:23Z")
Also, don’t credit checks done by creditors show previous addresses? If the guy previously lived at his parents’ house, it would show up on the report for his SSN. It’s possible that the taped together application went through some extra scrutiny, but the SSN & address matched so they figured it was OK. Of course, that still is a problem if you sold your house or moved out of an apartment. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480/7 "2006-03-15T18:28:39Z")
Mine get run through a cross-cut shredder along with a bunch of other junk mail. Good like to anyone trying to piece _those_ together! ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480/8 "2006-03-15T18:48:59Z")
I tear up, and dispose of portions with significant numbers in scattered trash cans, multiple miles apart. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480/9 "2006-03-15T19:08:03Z")
This makes me feel a whole lot better about being to lazy to do anything but toss the things, unopened, in the trash. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480/10 "2006-03-15T19:14:12Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Mine get run through a cross-cut shredder along with a bunch of other junk mail. Good like to anyone trying to piece _those_ together! They do it all the time on _CSI_ and _Law & Order_. They make it look easy. :rolleyes: But, yeah, I run stuff like that through a shredder. My husband thinks I’m paranoid, but he still carries around his social security card in his wallet. Whatever, honey. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2006, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480/11 "2006-03-16T00:42:57Z")
I shred mine and then put them in the used catbox liner when the litterbox gets emptied. If someone is willing to dig through catshit and then tape together the pieces, they can have whatever they want from me. ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2006, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480/12 "2006-03-16T01:39:52Z")
Apparently, you can get off the lists that the credit bureaus give the credit card marketers by filling out a form here: [http://www.optoutprescreen.com](http://www.optoutprescreen.com) I’m gonna do it in a minute. ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2006, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480/13 "2006-03-16T01:52:31Z")
Jeez. :eyes bags of credit card offers and dusty cross-cut shredder: Guess I need to do something to get those OUT of the way. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![ladybug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@ladybug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladybug)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2006, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480/14 "2006-03-16T02:00:05Z")
> [@black455](#): > > Apparently, you can get off the lists that the credit bureaus give the credit card marketers by filling out a form here: > > [http://www.optoutprescreen.com](http://www.optoutprescreen.com) > > I’m gonna do it in a minute. You can also opt-out by phone: 1 (888) 5-OPT OUT. It’s an automated system and only takes about 5 minutes. I used it last week after getting yet another credit card offer in the mail. **lizardling** , I’m right there with you. I have a stack of papers about a foot high waiting to go through the shredder. ---
**Author:** ![JustAnotherGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@JustAnotherGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustAnotherGeek)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2006, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480/15 "2006-03-16T02:32:26Z")
> [@ladybug](#): > > **lizardling** , I’m right there with you. I have a stack of papers about a foot high waiting to go through the shredder. One word: Bonfire! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2006, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480/16 "2006-03-16T12:06:13Z")
I love my paper shredder, I’m going to hug it now. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2006, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480/17 "2006-03-16T12:36:49Z")
My bank(s) and I have an arrangement. They send me applications forms, assuring me how much more wonderful my life would be if I were in debt to them. And I shred them into little pieces. It’s all rather a waste of time, but it keeps them happy. ---
**Author:** ![MizGrand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@MizGrand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizGrand)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2006, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480/18 "2006-03-16T12:47:19Z")
I, too, have the odd compulsion to chew up pieces of important info. SS numbers, account numbers, even names get chewed up and spit in the trash. I would NEVER just throw away, say, a prescription bottle, without peeling off the label and giving it a good thorough chew. Okay, so I’m a bit paranoid… ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2006, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480/19 "2006-03-16T13:35:48Z")
> [@Mr. Miskatonic](#): > > I love my paper shredder, I’m going to hug it now. Just don’t wear a tie. ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2006, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480/20 "2006-03-16T13:53:26Z")
My shredder says to use it only for a certain amount of pages per day (hey, it was cheap but it crosscuts and works great). So, guess what all the ashes in my fireplace are from? I get to stick it to the CC companies and the gas company at the same time.😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-torn-up-credit-card-applications-arent-safe/348480.md?page=2)