Identity Theft Prevention From Ripped Credit Applications

A man proves in a bizarre experiment the need for
consumers to utilize a cross cut shredder. A major
U.S. financial institution approves him for a new
credit card after he submits a ripped up credit
application (but taped back together) including
his cell phone number and father's address.

To illustrate just how easy it would be for an identity
thief, who's stolen a pre-approved offer from your trash,
to get a new credit card in your name refer to the
picture sequence below.

• Ripped up credit offer acceptance certificate
• Taped back together

The man conducting the experiment even indicated on the taped back
together credit application that he had wanted the new credit card
sent to a different address than what was printed.

A short time later, after mailing back the taped credit application, the
man received his brand new credit card in his name which he then
activated using his cell phone.

This man's experiment should really drive home the point that merely
hand ripping a pre-approved credit application before disposing it to
your trash can not always be an effective identity theft & fraud
deterrent. Even more so, the credit card industry makes it very easy
for people to get credit cards: provide basic information, mail back the
pre-printed certificate received in the mail, wait a few days, and
then a new credit card is sent to you ready for activation.

Sidenote: the U.S. credit card industry mails out billions of credit
card offers annually.

So, our tip for today is reduce your potential from becoming an
identity theft victim from "hot" offers from credit card
applications sent via USPS mail. To remove your name
from these marketing lists used to generate the offers, contact
1-888-5OPT-OUT which is the official website of the credit
reporting industry that accepts consumer requests to opt out
from receiving pre-approved card offers.

It can be also be reached on the web at OptOutPrescreen.

Finally, get yourself a quality, cross cut shredder to
pulverize those pre-approved credit offers into pieces
to small for even the most obsessed person to tape back
together.