There are two major reasons for destroying credit cards: Either they've expired or cutting them up is the only way you can keep from using them. Regardless of why your credit cards are going to pieces, you need to dispose of them properly to make sure you don't become a victim of identity theft. Just a few quick cuts isn't enough--you need to make sure you completely destroy every identifying feature on your credit cards.
Step 1
Press a magnet against the magnetic strip on your credit card and slide it back and forth several times to completely demagnetize the strip.
Step 2
Make at least two or three horizontal cuts all the way through the following features on your card: The signature panel and magnetic strip on the back (the signature panel also contains your security code), your name, credit card number and expiration date on the front of the card.
Step 3
Gather the long strips you've produced into several bundles--as many as you can comfortably cut through at a time--and slide each set of strips into four or more pieces each. You're making what would have been vertical cuts if the cards were still in one piece.
Step 4
Divide the pile of scraps you've created into at least two separate bundles, and ensure that each bundle is collected with your household trash at a different time--disposing of them in different trash cans, or putting the second half in the trash once the first half is already on the curb waiting for pick up, are the two simplest ways of managing this.
Tips and Warnings
- If your credit card has an RFID chip, make sure to cut through it several times with scissors. If you have access to a heavy duty cross-cut shredder--especially one with a CD or credit card slot--you can simply run your card through the shredder to destroy it, then retrieve half the shreddings and dispose of them separately from the other half.
Things You'll Need
- Sharp shears or heavy duty scissors
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