So, here I will be keeping this short & simple on how to effectively & properly destroy your Credit/Debit card to avoid any misuse/fraud on your card after you dispose it…
1) If you are using a Metallic card , your best bet would be to send the card back to your card issuer or to your bank & let them destroy it because metallic cards would be extremely tough to destroy…
2) If you are using the most common Plastic cards, I would NOT suggest burning the credit card…Yes burning credit card will destroy it, but it will also come with its own health hazards which can hamper your health because when you burn any plastic it releases several harmful toxins which is never good for your health…
But if you still want to burn it, burn it in such a way that you don’t stay in close proximity during the burning process…
4) Now after you deactivated the magnetic stripe, grab a pair of scissors & cut the card into as many small pieces as you can so that it can never be put back together in case someone finds all the pieces…You can cut the card in both horizontally or vertically as per your wish…
When you are cutting the card, make sure that your CVV or the 3 digit security code which remains at the back of your card can’t be read or put back together…
Also make sure to cut the magnetic strip on the back of your card because that contains your signature…
If you are using a newer EMV chip & pin based card, there will be a Gold or Silver colored chip on the front of your card at the left hand side like shown in the first image of this post…You can cut the chip with scissors or just smash it with the help of a hammer….
Once you are done with the cutting & smashing, make sure that the pieces can never be put back together…
5) If you have any old card statement/s for the same card you are trying to get rid of, you can burn the statement/s after destroying your card as burning a paper won’t be harmful for your health…
6) Lastly, it may sound kinda weird but it always better to throw the broken pieces of your card in different garbage bins so that even the smartest thief can’t find all the pieces together…
7) If you don’t want to go through any of the above steps (though I highly suggest that you do), just keep the card in a secured place in your home like in a closet or something to keep it protected from invaders…
If you are trying to get rid of a card which is soon to be expired, I would suggest you to wait till the credit card expiry date and then dispose it after you get the new replaced/renewed card…
Also Read : How To Get Your First Credit Card In India Without Income Proof.
If you have a Credit Card & want to have more cards in your wallet, do read this article : How To Get Credit Cards On Card-To-Card Without Income Proof.