How to Dispose of Old Credit Cards

There are about 2.8 billion credit cards in use globally, and as everyone knows, credit cards hold a great deal of information despite their small size. [1] It is exactly for this reason that individuals and businesses alike need to take great care to protect the security of their credit cards, both before and after they have expired.

Once your old credit card has expired, there are a few different methods of credit card disposal that you could choose to destroy this small but valuable piece of plastic; some are more secure than others so it’s essential to choose a secure method to avoid fraud and having your information stolen.

Your confidential information can also be at a higher risk of a data breach during certain times of the year such as the holiday period. [2]

Different Shredding Methods

It can be difficult to know which methods of credit card disposal are best for the integrity and security of the information it holds. Here are a few ways to destroy old credit cards:

• Cut it into pieces: This method is quick and easy on the surface, but if you are thinking of cutting up your old credit cards, there are some security measures to follow. Firstly, each set of four numbers on the front of your card needs to be cut into six pieces, this makes it incredibly unlikely that someone can piece together your card. Additionally, you must also make sure you cut through your signature and demagnetise the card’s chip.
• Burn it: Burning your old credit cards may help eliminate the need to cut the card into small pieces and demagnetise the chip, but it is not environmentally friendly.
• Shred it at home: If your business uses a company shredder, it may be possible to use it for shredding credit cards too. However, a typical office shredder is not designed to shred credit cards as they are made of durable plastics, which may damage the shredding machine. Recycling the shredded card also means that those looking to steal your confidential data may be able to retrieve it if security protocols are not in place.
• Use a professional shred service: A secure means of credit card disposal is to engage a professional credit card destruction service provider to shred credit cards effectively and safely. Using a professional credit card shredding service will also help make sure that your old credit card is securely destroyed making your information unretrievable.

Although the credit card disposal options listed above might save time or money, professionally shredding credit cardswith Shred-it can offer many benefits in the long run including improved security.

Shred-it’s Secure Credit Card Disposal

Your data could be at risk of falling into the wrong hands if you are not destroying your credit cards securely. Utilising a professional credit card disposal service can assist.

Shred-it implements best-in-class industry standards which starts with our secure chain of custody protocols. These security protocols include:

• Locked trucks and secure totes keep information safe in transit
• GPS-tracked fleets
• Secure, monitored facilities protect your information before it's destroyed.

The security and integrity of your old credit cards and the information held on them is guaranteed to be destroyed effectively and securely with our Credit Card Destruction Service.

We utilise suitable industrial shredders to shred credit cards in mass, which helps make sure your confidential data is unretrievable, unreadable, and disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.

We only work with trusted partners to recycle old credit cards, when shredded in large quantities, so you can be safe in the knowledge that when you shred credit cards with us, we will not contribute to any ongoing waste issues.

Shred-it helps businesses to improve their overall data security and can assist you to decrease the risk of a data breach occurring.

Find out more about our Credit Card Destruction Services by getting in touch today to see how our services can protect your business, employees, and customers.

Sources:

[1] money.co.uk

[2] IT Governance

Disclaimer: This article is provided for your convenience and does not constitute legal advice. Readers should not take, or refrain from taking, actions based upon the content of this article. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Please seek professional legal advice.