Why you should shred credit card applications

When I saw the results of a little test where a credit application was torn into pieces, taped back together, submitted and a credit card arrived in the mail, I have been a bit more diligent about shredding any that I receive before they go into the recycle bin.

There is a larger issue here, though, that credit card companies need to address. They know there is a problem with blanketing the world with these applications and yet they continue to do it. Why should I have to work so hard to destroy mailings that I never wanted in the first place? The credit card companies, through their mindless marketing campaigns, are aiding and abetting identity theft in order to protect their bottom line, placing the burden on consumers to try and protect themselves the best they can.

Why you should shred credit card applications Most folks these days don't just pitch credit card applications in the recycling bin without destroying them in some manner, since they could be used by someone else to obtain a card in your name. However, it turns out that simply tearing apart the forms may not be enough of a deterrent. [Continued]

(Via Lifehacker.)