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What to Do with Old Credit Cards: Tips and Alternative Solution

What to Do with Old Credit Cards: Tips and Alternative Solution

Clients who are tired of plastic cards and want to switch to modern online payment methods like Linkpay can use our guide on what to do with old credit cards and safely get rid of outdated technology.

April 3, 2025

Katrin SteinerLinkPay content editor

Key takeaways

Physical cards have many negative aspects including the possibility of leakage and the constant expiration of their validity. The process of disposal requires effort and, if done incorrectly, can lead to financial losses. Below we will look at how to properly dispose of them and what can be used instead of these plastic cards.

How to Get Rid

The need for correct credit card disposal is in safeguarding private data and stopping attackers from utilising your card for illegal purposes. Old cards may be disposed of in many ways:

Self-destruction. Cut the card with scissors or use a shredder.
Bank submission. Send the card back to the banks that issued it.
Special disposal services. Entrust your old card to a special service for expired cards.

The best approach on how to dispose of old credit cards relies on your tastes and available means. Below we will take a closer look at some popular options and how to do them correctly.

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Get in touch with the issuer

The first step in how to dispose of credit cards correctly is to contact the person who issued the card. To ensure a card is properly closed and unopened, it is crucial to find contact information on the card or credit agreement and use it. You may send a letter or call, and give the issuer the card number, expiration date, and security code. Ask about any outstanding sums and the card closure.

Chop apart plastic cards

Once you confirm the card’s closure and no debts, you can proceed with its disposal.

Take a sharp pair of scissors and cut the old credit cards many times, paying special attention to the payment chip. Customers can also use a special plastics shredder which will cut your card extremely finely.

A good tip is to throw away parts in different rubbish bags to make it harder to put it all together.

Return metal cards

Particularly for those with limited editions or collector value, destroy credit card metal is vital for security. For outdated metal cards, some banks could provide an exchange option. Contact the issuer, complete a form, put the metal card in soft material, and ship it using a tracking number to be returned. This guarantees the correct disposal of the card.

Switch to an unsecured credit card

Switching to an unsecured card can improve credit history and access favourable financial products. However, knowing how to discard credit card and dispose of old cards properly before making the switch.

Review your account again

After disposing of your old plastic element, check your bank account for unusual transactions to ensure the card is fully closed and your details aren’t compromised. Access online banking like Linkpay, review recent transactions and look for suspicious transactions. Contact your bank if found, and check your credit report to prevent new accounts and loans.

Retrieving Deleted Credit Card Accounts

In the situation where you don’t know how to find old credit card numbers, and your card has already been destroyed or lost, you can use the annualcreditreport.com website to get any of your bank data.

Fill in the form with your data and you will be able to see the data of your old accounts. And in case of any problems you can contact the bank and decide what to do.

Advice on How to Properly Dispose of a Credit Card

If you, as a bank client, decide to change the branch or simply close the account, you need to perform a few simple steps:

Pay off the balance. Make sure the card has no outstanding charges.
Notify the issuer. Tell the bank (company) you no longer use the card. This guards you against illegal charges.
Shred or cut up the card. Once your account is closed, destroy the card and rip it into small pieces.
Update billing information. If you have regular payments set up on the expired card, change it to the new one.
Check your credit report. Look for any odd behaviour to the closed card on your credit report.

Alternatively, using modern services like Linkpay can help you get rid of any problems with expired cards, since on these platforms all cards are online and can be managed right from home.

Avoiding These Pitfalls with Your Credit Card

Here are some things to avoid when dealing with expired credit cards:

Do not bend or fold your credit card, as this will not prevent your information from being stolen.
Do not attempt to melt the card, as this may create harmful fumes.
Never throw away a card before you have cut it into small pieces and deactivated it.

If you know how to get rid of old credit cards correctly, you will protect yourself from scams.

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Is it OK to throw away old credit cards?

While it’s usually okay to throw away outdated cards, first you should shred or cut them up. This is a preventive step meant to stop illegal usage and identity theft.

What should I do with my expired credit card?

Once a credit card expires, the best course of action is to cut or shred it into tiny, unidentifiable fragments. This makes the card useless and keeps it from getting into the incorrect hands.

What can you do with old store credit cards?

Store credit cards should be handled the same as ordinary credit cards. To protect your personal data, shred or chop them up into tiny bits. Should you have questions regarding the business’s rules or if there is still a balance on the card, contact the store.

Do I need to keep old credit cards?

Owners don’t need to hang onto outdated credit cards. Once a card expires, it is no longer active and should be thrown away safely.

What to do with expired metal credit cards?

Though the method is the same, metal credit cards can be sent back to the bank. Or just cut it into small pieces using a metal cutter or heavy-duty scissors.

What to do with expired plastic credit cards?

Usually, shredding or cutting plastic credit cards is the best option. To cut the card into little bits, use scissors or a paper shredder.