Those non-stop Credit Card "offer"... What to do?

[crosscountry]

I mean, what to do with those "junk" mail.

A friend argued we should shred those mail, rather than just "throw it out". Just in case some one else got hold of those "offer" mail and applied. (not likely to succeed, but each application negatively affect the credit score) Does he have a point?

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

We shred them just be safe. I get a ridiculous amount of "pre-approved" credit offers.

 

[Bill Miles]

My junk mail lately has not been as bad as spam e-mails and texts.

 

[KingGrump]

We shred them just be safe. I get a ridiculous amount of "pre-approved" credit offers.

You must have excellent credit.
I only get the pre-declined offers.

 

[raytseng]

Your risk exposure is more likely to be through electronic means these days rather than physical.

Unless you are specifically being targeted, who wants to go through the trouble of fraud to go dumpster diving on 1 person, when the same "info" for 1000s of people is already available "online" and, and you can apply for 1000 accounts.

That being said, it is still a good idea to securely dispose anything with confidential info about yourself, at least just rip it up.

 

[noncrazycanuck]

After a time I decided to accept their offers as a joke.
Found after I'd accumulated 5 or 6 credit cards from the same organization all of which I never used or paid any fees for, the last "acceptance" would be declined and the junk mail would suddenly stop.
Doubt it made any impact on my credit rating.

 

[crosscountry]

it is still a good idea to securely dispose anything with confidential info about yourself, at least just rip it up.

I've been ripping them up in the past. But lately, I've gotten such ridiculous amount of them "offers". It's hurting my fingers...

 

[KingGrump]

It's hurting my fingers...

 

[David Chaus]

What you could do is use the return envelope from one company’s junk mail to return the junk mail from other companies. They’re paying for the return postage, after all, and they all apparently have your address already.

There is nothing in a “pre-approved” credit card offer that makes it particularly easy for credit identity theft. Those offers still require you to apply for credit and provide your SS#, even if the offer is from a credit card company that already has you as a credit card customer.

I have a shredder because I deal with protected client health information.

FWIW I have my credit locked with all 3 credit bureaus so even if someone had my SS# they would not be able to access any credit in my name. I have to specifically request it to be unlocked for a specified period of time, using passwords, and find out which credit bureau the credit is using so I don’t have to unlock all of them.

 

[crosscountry]

FWIW I have my credit locked with all 3 credit bureaus so even if someone had my SS# they would not be able to access any credit in my name. I have to specifically request it to be unlocked for a specified period of time, using passwords, and find out which credit bureau the credit is using so I don’t have to unlock all of them.

I considered that option from time to time.

But I'm not too sure how much hassle it would be. Besides credit cards, credit scores are used in many other situations, opening utility account, job offer, whatever else I haven't thought of...

At the moment, I'm not hunting for jobs nor opening any new utility account. But when those need arises, I don't know if I have the option to only unlock one of them vs all of them...

 

[Unpiste]

I mean, what to do with those "junk" mail.

A friend argued we should shred those mail, rather than just "throw it out". Just in case some one else got hold of those "offer" mail and applied. (not likely to succeed, but each application negatively affect the credit score) Does he have a point?

Just throw them out. These “offers” are little more than an invitation to apply, and should not include personal information other than your name and address.

Account statements with account numbers, transaction history, etc. are what you need to worry about.

P.S. Trying to return these to sender is useless. Presorted mail rarely includes return service. Using a prepaid return envelope to send back junk sounds fun, though.