Did you know that old debit cards can pose a serious risk to your personal and financial security? Even if you have cancelled or replaced your card, it may still contain sensitive information that could be used by scammers. That’s why it’s important to dispose of your old debit cards properly and safely. Identity theft can have serious consequences for your financial and personal wellbeing.

Getting rid of your old debit card is not just as simple as just putting it in the bin. That is why it is so important to safely dispose of old debit cards, and the reason many new debit cards may come with a letter that recommends disposal of the old card. But if there are no bank tips handy, here is a step-by-step guide to safely disposing old debit cards.

Destroying Details On A Debit Card

Even though a debit card may have expired, it can still contain vital information that thieves may be able to use to create false cards in your name.

To make sure this does not happen, it is ideal to completely destroy the old debit card. With a pair of sharp scissors and following steps, anyone is able to easily and efficiently get rid of expired debit cards:

Step 1: First and foremost, make sure the card has expired and you are not about to cut up the new card. One way to make sure is to check the expiry date on the front of the card, usually written as MM/YY. Your bank has probably already sent you a replacement card a few weeks before your old one expires. Activate the new card by following the instructions that come with it. Once you have done that, you can start to destroy the old card.

Step 2: The first cut should be through the middle of the embossed numbers on the front of the card. These numbers are your card number, which identifies your account and links to your personal details. Cutting through them will make it harder for anyone to use your card or steal your identity. Use a strong pair of scissors or a shredder to cut through the plastic.

Step 3: Next up, cut diagonally through the magnetic strip on the back of the card. This strip contains personal information that thieves could use to access your account or make fraudulent transactions. Cutting through it will make it unreadable by machines. Cut through it multiple times just to be sure.

Step 4: Then cut through the three-digit security code on the back of the card so that it is left in tiny pieces. This code is required for online transactions and should be destroyed completely. It is usually printed on or near the signature panel. Cut it into as many pieces as possible and dispose of them separately.

Step 5: If there is a security chip on the card, cut through it diagonally. If you don’t destroy this part, it could still be used for Tap-and-Go transactions. Cutting through it will damage it and prevent it from working. If scissors are not enough, you can try using a hammer or a nail to break it.

Once you are done, look at the pieces and see if they would be easy to put back together. If it is obvious which piece goes, where cut them up again. Make sure they end up in smaller pieces of different sizes.

Put it in the bin

It’s important that you get rid of old debit cards as soon as they expire as they can become a major security risk if they land in the wrong hands. These steps make sure all of the information is fragmented and hard to put back together. From there it is simply a matter of throwing it out.

For even more security, consider only putting a few pieces in the bin at a time, or separating into different bins so that it would be hard for anyone to find all the pieces.

With these steps done, the old debit card will be out of the way with a new one ready to use. That means less chance of identity theft and more piece of mind, knowing that your banking details are right where they belong.