How to Properly Destroy a Credit Card
Follow these steps when destroying a credit card to protect your identity – and your credit.
Up next in Credit & Credit Cards (16 videos)
Save money and stay out of debt with the advice in this Howcast video series about credit and credit cards.
You Will Need
- A magnet
- Scissors
- A hammer
- Several trash cans
- A cross-cutting shredder (optional)
Steps
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Step 1
Demagnetize the magnetic strip
Run a magnet along the card's magnetic strip to demagnetize it and remove the information it holds.
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Step 2
Cut up the numbers
Slice each four-digit set of numbers into at least two pieces.
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Step 3
Finish the cutting job
Ensure that the signature, magnetic strip, and CVV number – the three-digit code on the back – have all been cut into small pieces.
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Feed your credit card through a shredder with a cross-cutting function.
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Step 4
Destroy the chip
Destroy the credit card chip by cutting it up or smashing it with a hammer.
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Don't burn the card. Credit cards made of plastic often contain inks, holograms, and metals that create toxic fumes.
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Step 5
Spread out the pieces
Deposit the pieces of your credit card in different trash cans around your house so that they end up in different garbage bags.
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Did you know? Identify theft carries a maximum prison term of 15 years, a fine, and forfeiture of property the thief used, or intended to use, to commit the offense.
