[OT?] Destroying data on bank card

[Sammy]

I like to keep my old bank cards intact and use them for jobs around
the house. My worry is that the data on the magnetic strip can still
be read.

What is the best way to destroy that data without messing up the card
for D-I-Y work.

----

Does a domestic microwave detroy data on a magnetic strip?

I tried using some of those strong magnets taken from a hard drive.
I put one above and one below the bank card and then slowly drew the
magnets along the magnetic strip. Is this enough? Is it better to
do this relatively quickly or relatively slowly?

ISTR something about vertical and horizontal magnetic polarization
and maybe this is something I have to deal with in case it makes the
magnetic data harder to destroy???

Is it better to scratch the magnetic strip with a sharp point?

 

[Alex]

I like to keep my old bank cards intact and use them for jobs around
the house. My worry is that the data on the magnetic strip can still
be read.

I'm not sure that there's much more stored on there than there is
printed on the card itself...

alex

 

[Rub]

Why don't you just pick up a few mobile-top-up cards, loyalty cards ect
for your jobs around the house and dispose of the bank cards the
"Normal" way?

 

[Christian McArdle]

I like to keep my old bank cards intact and use them for jobs around

the house. My worry is that the data on the magnetic strip can still
be read.

What is the best way to destroy that data without messing up the card
for D-I-Y work.

Use something else for DIY. Cut up your cards, kaing sure you cut the
magnetic strip, the chips and the number. Then place half of the pieces in
two separate bins.

Christian.

 

[manatbandq]

Use something else for DIY. Cut up your cards, kaing sure you cut the
magnetic strip, the chips and the number. Then place half of the pieces in
two separate bins.

What do you do with the other half?

Sorry.

MBQ

 

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

I like to keep my old bank cards intact and use them for jobs around
the house. My worry is that the data on the magnetic strip can still
be read.

What is the best way to destroy that data without messing up the card
for D-I-Y work.

----

Does a domestic microwave detroy data on a magnetic strip?

I tried using some of those strong magnets taken from a hard drive.
I put one above and one below the bank card and then slowly drew the
magnets along the magnetic strip. Is this enough? Is it better to
do this relatively quickly or relatively slowly?

ISTR something about vertical and horizontal magnetic polarization
and maybe this is something I have to deal with in case it makes the
magnetic data harder to destroy???

Is it better to scratch the magnetic strip with a sharp point?

Run a lighter along the mag strip.
If you want I can send you a scraper?

 

[Sam Wormley]

I like to keep my old bank cards intact and use them for jobs around
the house. My worry is that the data on the magnetic strip can still
be read.

Bulk tape degausser works well, but, in my opinion, these cards
should be totally destroyed. You can get a small copper plate
for "jobs around the house".

 

[Alex]

What do you do with the other half?

You swallow them of course.

alex

 

[manatbandq]

I like to keep my old bank cards intact and use them for jobs around
the house.

I restrict my jobs to the appropriate place and clean up with Andrex

MBQ

 

[Richard Conway]

You swallow them of course.

alex

And then dispose of in two separate toilets

 

[Chris Bacon]

I like to keep my old bank cards intact and use them for jobs around
the house. My worry is that the data on the magnetic strip can still
be read.

What is the best way to destroy that data without messing up the card
for D-I-Y work.

Scrape it off with a sharp knife.

What do you use the card for, AAMOI?

 

[John Schmitt]

What is the best way to destroy that data without messing up the card
for D-I-Y work.

I tried using some of those strong magnets taken from a hard drive.
I put one above and one below the bank card and then slowly drew the
magnets along the magnetic strip. Is this enough? Is it better to
do this relatively quickly or relatively slowly?

If the magnet is strong, it will take out the strip data. I expect a
record antistatic gun will do the chip. Until my replacement for my
cracked cashcard arrives, I will not be experimenting, but will report
back. The embossed data and the card ID on the signature strip are enough
to be fraudulent, but normally when the following card is used, the other
card is disabled by the supplier. As has been said points cards are easy
to get, so easy that most of the skimmers used to use them as blanks. With
the phasing out of magnetic strips for transactive use, it appears that
more card fraud is committed via the internet, phone, or mail order.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4418140.stm


John Schmitt

 

[J. Clarke]

I like to keep my old bank cards intact and use them for jobs around
the house. My worry is that the data on the magnetic strip can still
be read.

What is the best way to destroy that data without messing up the card
for D-I-Y work.

----

Does a domestic microwave detroy data on a magnetic strip?

I tried using some of those strong magnets taken from a hard drive.
I put one above and one below the bank card and then slowly drew the
magnets along the magnetic strip. Is this enough? Is it better to
do this relatively quickly or relatively slowly?

ISTR something about vertical and horizontal magnetic polarization
and maybe this is something I have to deal with in case it makes the
magnetic data harder to destroy???

Is it better to scratch the magnetic strip with a sharp point?

Sandpaper is your friend.

 

[manatbandq]

Scrape it off with a sharp knife.

What do you use the card for, AAMOI?

They're good for mixing epoxy on, applying polyfilla, extra shims for
tile spacing. Lots of other uses too.

MBQ

 

[Bob Eager]

I like to keep my old bank cards intact and use them for jobs around
the house. My worry is that the data on the magnetic strip can still
be read.

What is the best way to destroy that data without messing up the card
for D-I-Y work.

I'd use a scraper of some kind.

Either a trimming knife blade, or a plastic card (e.g. a credit card)

 

[Alistair Riddell]

I like to keep my old bank cards intact and use them for jobs around
the house. My worry is that the data on the magnetic strip can still
be read.

What is the best way to destroy that data without messing up the card
for D-I-Y work.

I had cause to test this recently with mag stripe cards we use at work.

A few wipes with a rare earth metal magnet from a hard drive will usually
do the trick.

It is probably a good idea to sandpaper off the mag stripe and signature
strip including card verification value. There is significantly more
information on the mag stripe than appears embossed on the card, but the
card itself may be potentially more useful to fraudsters than the
information in it.

I don't think a microwave oven would be a particularly good way of erasing
a magnetic strip but it would probably be a good way of ensuring that any
smart chip never functions again.

 

[Gregory L. Hansen]

I like to keep my old bank cards intact and use them for jobs around
the house. My worry is that the data on the magnetic strip can still
be read.

What is the best way to destroy that data without messing up the card
for D-I-Y work.

Destroying the magnetic strip won't gain you anything if the embossed
account number is still readable.

 

[Rod Speed]

I like to keep my old bank cards intact and use them
for jobs around the house. My worry is that the data
on the magnetic strip can still be read.

That is only part of the problem, the other part is the
numbers embossed on the card. While the expiry date
would normally be obsolete, its often possible to guess
the new one that is on the card that replaced it.

So, while its easy enough to remove the magnetic stripe
and signature strip, its harder to get rid of the embossed
numbers and still have a useful bit of plastic.

What is the best way to destroy that data
without messing up the card for D-I-Y work.

Hard to say if you dont say what you use them for.

Does a domestic microwave detroy data on a magnetic strip?
Nope.

I tried using some of those strong magnets taken from a hard
drive. I put one above and one below the bank card and then
slowly drew the magnets along the magnetic strip. Is this enough?

Normally, but its hard to be sure that the data cant be
extracted by someone who cares enough to go to the
trouble. The card isnt much use without the pin tho.

Is it better to do this relatively quickly or relatively slowly?

Doesnt matter.

ISTR something about vertical and horizontal magnetic polarization
and maybe this is something I have to deal with in case it makes the
magnetic data harder to destroy???

Its better to just remove the entire magnetic stripe.

Is it better to scratch the magnetic strip with a sharp point?

Sandpaper is better or run it against an abrasive wheel
or wire brush on an angle grinder. Bit risky finger wise tho.

 

[Dave]

I had cause to test this recently with mag stripe cards we use at work.

A few wipes with a rare earth metal magnet from a hard drive will
usually do the trick.

It is probably a good idea to sandpaper off the mag stripe and signature
strip including card verification value. There is significantly more
information on the mag stripe than appears embossed on the card, but the
card itself may be potentially more useful to fraudsters than the
information in it.

I don't think a microwave oven would be a particularly good way of
erasing a magnetic strip but it would probably be a good way of ensuring
that any smart chip never functions again.

Is this a good idea if ID cards are introduced

Dave

 

[mike]

Not sure how you delete the information on them but I'm curious about
what you use them for??