Full card numbers on credit card statements - security risk?

kingalfred_2

The Co-op bank print my full credit card number on the paper statements sent to my home. Surely this is a security risk? If someone opens that letter before me, they have the number and my name and full address.

Is this normal practice for credit cards? And does anyone else think this is a really bad idea?

custardy

it is for some,i remember listening to the jeremy vine show and someone mentioning this.
foolish IMO and not needed

peter_the_piper

I posted on this thread confirming LLoyds do this as well and the post has vanished. Any ideas what could have happened?

IvanOpinion

Yes it is normal practice, all my credit card statements have the number printed on them and have had so for the last 20 or so years (although I know some suppliers use an account number instead of the credit card number). Do you know that every cheque you write has your bank account number, name and sort code on it as well ... similar informaton appears on remittance slips etc. and not forgetting your bank statement.

To be honest it is one of those situaitons that the media likes to make an issue out of to try to sell more newspapers etc. but the risk is very small. Someone would also need the expiry date and the 3 digit number from the back before it is of any use (just be careful who is listening next time you order something over the phone). I also assume you shred all your paperwork.

To put it in perspective it is probably akin to your account number, name and address appearing on any statement you receive from any company (e.g. littlewoods etc.)

Ivan

soolin

All my card statements have the full number on them as well, but as they don't have PIN numbers of the 3 digit thingy from the back I assume it isn't a problem.

Anthillmob

capital one put my full one on my statement. i asked them the other day why i havent received a statement since at least august 2007 and they are adamant they have been printed and sent yet the only thing ive received is a late payment letter.

where are my statements going? mr mob receives his CO statements

C_Ronaldo

The card number isnt any use without the start date, end date and the 3 digit number on the back,

LittleVoice

I noticed that Abbey just use the last few digits on their CC statements.

kingalfred_2

Thanks for the replies. I guess it's nothing to worry about.

Yet when you pay for something, it is usual for only a few digits of the full number to be shown on your receipt. If it's not a risk, why don't they print the whole thing?

Nilrem

I think that's because people tend to just drop receipts a lot of the time and don't take the same sort of (basic) care with them that they do with the statements, also you might get one statement per card per month, but use the card daily.

I've always been careful of receipts (it wasn't too long ago that they all had a full card number on them, and only very recently a couple of larger retailers stopped the practice), but i've never been too worried about the statements, as that's once a month and I take care of them.

From memory the change in receipts being printed with just the last few digits also happened before they bought in the 3 digit security code on the back of the card.