According to ArmenE’s (and dcp’s) link, they have at least once.
Almost always you have three choices in how to reply to an offer to apply for a credit card; online, return mail, or telephone.
I wonder which is safest. Online, I’d guess.
Thanks- didn’t see there was more than one page the first time. Trippy.
Taken at face value, it’s just makers good sense. Sure there may be other avenues where your ID may be stolen and abused. So why add to the potential if you don’t take an active role of what you can control and shred? We shred everything that has our name, address and/or other identifying information on it. We even shred the magazine and package address labels.
It’s not my problem someone can easily walk four blocks down the street to the nearest apartment complex and find in the dumpster whole documents of utility bills, canceled checks, credit card receipts, etc., and have at it. It’s just when we lived in an apartment we shredded everything at the time and potential ID thieves ignored our shreds because those dumpsters also had whole documents of utility bills, canceled checks, credit card receipts, etc., from our dumb neighbors.
It all comes back to the story about you and someone else being chased by a hungry bear. You don’t have to outrun the bear; you just have to outrun the other person. It’s the same with identity theft. Shred all that you can to stay below the radar because those who don’t will be the easier pickings.
Of course, owning a cat or three helps when you can mix the shreds with cat pee and cat poop.
You don’t really do that. Do you?
You tremendously underestimate the number of companies that legally have your SSN. Add in: your utilities, all the credit bureaus, anyone you ever had a credit line with, schools you or your children attended and on and on.
That chance that 100% of every employee at each of those places is honest and competent is zero. I.e., your personal info has been sold to scum. You can buy CDs full of American’s personal info, including SSN, in street markets in Moscow. But that’s old school, nowadays you can buy the stuff online.
Until just a couple years ago, anyone could buy CDs full of info from the US govt. that included SSNs.
The next county over has online all the property tax-deed documents. Which contain SSNs. Claim they can’t remove the info due to state open record laws. (And all counties have the info available on paper at the courthouse.)
In short: shred anything and everything that relates to any potential or actual account with any business. Opt out of everything.
Why is everyone so worried about protecting the credit card companies from fraud? It’s their business. Their problem.
About 15 years ago I bought a shredder for about 50 bucks and dutifully shredded all that crap I was sent.
Then the shredder broke a couple of years ago and and I started wondering—why am I doing this? Do you think the credit card company is grateful? Just get a payment in an hour late and watch them jack your interest rate up to 28% and add on a $30 late fee.
So I open my mail and if it is a credit card application or one of those checks they send out, I throw it out whole.
If some dumpster diver gets that stuff—great! After the CC company has to deal with 20 fraudulent applications with my name on it, they should be able to figure out who not to send the damn things to.
I’m not worried about this temporarily screwing up my credit rating. I have a rule—I don’t pay interest. I am not buying a house or a car. I have cash to get me thru emergencies. Who needs it? I don’t work for them for free.
In the long run, sure. Maybe.
But in the short term (up to several years of constant corrections) you are the one that’s going to get burned.
Burned how? If I get a bill I just call their 800 number and report that it’s not me. It doesn’t cost me any money because I won’t send them any.
I checked my FICO score a couple of years ago and it was very good. But it’s bullshit. I pay my bills on time but I really don’t get a lot of money.
If my credit score went down, what difference does it make? I’ve been in my apartment for 22 years. Not planning on moving. Couldn’t afford a house, anyways. If you’re not planning on buying anything big it’s useless.
Great, cookeze, you are not worried about your credit rating. I, however, might be looking to buy a home (I’m not right now, as I already own, but that’s besides the point), and I wouldn’t want anything screwing up my credit rating. If you rent, your apartment may decide to go condo and you would have to decide stay or rent elsewhere - both which would require credit checks. Some identity thefts are deeper and more insidious than simple credit card fraud.
Just because it might not affect your lifestyle is no reason to think that everyone else can simply pawn it off as the credit card companies’ problems.
If you do make a large purchase, a good credit rating can save you a good deal of money.
You’re probably right, but I don’t have any money for big purchases. Don’t want a yacht. Already have a car. FAA won’t let me fly a plane. Hate travelling. And jewelry. Can’t think of anything to buy.
I’ve shredded those credit card apps. for years now. Never thought of the cat litter thing though. Heh. From now on I’m going to start emptying my cat’s box and my shredder at the same time. 
Nooo, don’t do that.
Around here they recycle paper. A bunch of not-so-highly-paid people have to handle it.
Peace,
mangeorge
I shred them, and burn the shreddings. Great kindling for an outdoor fireplace.
But one can just put a security notice on one’s SSN at the credit reporting agencies.
A what?
Has anyone here ever tried to re-assemble a shredded single-page document, especially from a cross-cut shredder? Imagine tens of pages all mixed up.
Maybe on CSI, but I couldn’t do it. After half an hour trying to just get all the print sides up I gave up.
Well?
I certainly do. But it doesn’t go into the recycle bin. Anything else that is shredded does go in the recycle bin.
To each their own. Just remember if you are victim of identity theft you not only run the risk of credit issues and credit scores, but higher insurance costs, possible lose your home (or apartment), inability to find a job (even keep the one you have) and worst of all, crimes committed in your name (where you might actually get arrested and go to jail).
Do you really believe that all that stuff could happen?
You’re scaring me.
No one will be arresting me—I know the cops and they know me. And how about some evidence?
My landlady loves me. Best renter she ever had.
Maybe we all should go out and buy bulletproof vests because drive-by shootings could happen.
I’m not telling anybody what to do. If you want to shred, then shred. Whatever. I think it’s a waste of time. But don’t get the idea that you are safe by doing that. The ones you have to look out for are the ones in positions of trust in the businesses you deal with. We have to rely on the safeguards that are in place, however effective they may or may not be.
And if the Bank of Bald Knob Kentucky, who you never even heard of, sends you an application, you are not obligated to make sure no one else gets hold of it.
But like I said upthread—it’s fine with me if someone with criminal intent uses the application. Credit card companies are evil and any damage done to them is well deserved.
And if they want their stuff shredded, I want a free shredder and 5 bucks a page. Security work is expensive.
[That’s a helpful quote, isn’t it?]
I assume you know what an outdoor fireplace is, so you must be asking about the credit protection.
One can put a new credit block on one’s SSN at the major credit reporting agencies; I can’t remember the correct term. There are two levels; the lesser expires automatically after 90 days, but the greater requires strict controls for any new credit.
I can post a link if you’re interested.