Family Gets 23 Pounds of Credit Card Apps!

Chicago Tribune reports family receives 445 credit applications in one year

Many of us wonder just how many credit card offers we get in one year. Now, one family in Chicago decided to count them. And weigh them.

According to this story in the Chicago Tribune, the Silbar family received 445 applications in one year, 35 of which were addressed to the 8 and 11 year old children. All in all, the apps weighed in at 23 pounds. I hope they recycled (after shredding) the offers when they finally threw them out!

If your family, like the Silbar family, receives far too many credit card applications, read this post on how to Stop the Junk Mail. And remember, everything your receive in a non locking mailbox can easily make its way into the hands of an identity thief. Pre-approved credit card offers are cash in hand for crooks who target unlocked mailboxes.

The best defense against mail identity theft is a security locking mailbox to protect your incoming mail, and a quality cross-cut paper shredder to protect it when you’re done with it.