My 383 day old just got her first Credit Card offer!

[430752]

Wow, I mean really. 12 months and 18 days. MasterCard, offered by BedBathandBeyond through US Bank. Disgusting. And, no, she hasn't been signed up for anything that I can think of, except being added to an health insurance policy. Oh, wait, and ordered a subscription to a newborn's National Wildlife Federation magazine (Animal Baby), and that was in my name as billing, her name as addressee. You don't think the NWF is selling children's magazine names to banks?

Anyway, help me choose what to do.

[Richard in Smithville]

I think there should be some sort of group that watches over this kind of stupid stuff. Isn't this the kind of mindless action that put us in the poor financial position that we are in? I would send a letter to who watches over the banks, and copy the federal government office and also the bank in question.

When my daughter was two, a real estate office would send her letters about selling her house. We threw them out and then one day the agent actually called, asking for my daughter. I told her that as my daughter was only two, I would speak for her. Never called again( after a few choice words from me).

[LinuxRandal]

Use it as a diaper, and return it!

[herb fellows]

I wonder if you could sneak this into the law about not paying for things you get that you didn't order? You could buy a lot of diapers with it!

Better yet, use it and pay for a few months until they raise the credit limit, then smoke it! When they come after you, tell them that you warned her about running up the credit card debt, she just wouldn't listen! You might even throw in a little something like 'you should see what she's done with her exxon-mobil credit card', for that folksy touch.

All in jest, of course, not that they don't deserve it. The problem is that 'they' is, ultimately, 'us', as we've come to find out lately!

[dkerfoot]

I know you are joking about running up the the bill, but sadly, there are a lot of kids out there whose credit gets trashed by their parents. Most identity theft is carried out by someone you know.

Yes, there are laws out there to protect against it, but they are kind of like the laws protecting people who use a cross-walk to cross the street - if a car runs them over, the driver is in trouble, but the whole process is deeply unpleasant for the pedestrian...

[GoFish104]

We lost a daughter to cancer 13 yrs. ago & still get credit card applications in her name, as well as letters from colleges, the Leukemia Foundation ect. If you figure out how to stop this S### please let me know. Jack

[DUD]

My 9 year old got Her 2nd letter yesterday from AARP. Bill

[430752]

Half of me says to apply for it, but not lie (e.g., birth date) and literally have her sign her mark to the application. You know just for sh1ts and giggles, or to see if this type of thing could really happen. Somehow I've come to learn that pranks and other acts of challenge usually come back to bite you. The other half says to simply shred it, be done with it, and accept this is life. Like Dud's preteen daughter getting AARP invitations!

Of course, the third half is fed up and thinks this type of stuff is beyond dumb and into dangerous, intrusive, etc., etc. The question is whether I'm the crusading type.

[crokett]

I would just shred it and forget about it.

[Shep]

The best way I ever heard to end unwanted credit card offers/unwanted mail, is to take the prepaid envelope that comes with it and stuff in everything that came in the origional envelope, including the envelope. These companies pay by weight, so the more stuff sent back, the more it costs them. Once you start costing them money, they'll stop.

[Mr__Bill]

I would apply for the card, with real data, and see what happens. If by some chance it is approved I would then keep it and use it, paying it off each month. By the time she is 18 she will have a great credit rating (I think). It doesn't really matter what the interest rate is if you pay it off. You do have a SS card for her? You will need it for the application.

Years ago a man I worked for did this when his 6 year old got an application. by the time he was 18 and in collage he had several cards including an AMEX and his dad had run many thousands of dollars across those cards. A full addition on to the house, if I remember correctly. His student loans when through with a snap. Just out of law school he bought a house. The banker told him that he was the only 26 year old he met with a 20 year credit history!

Bill, on the Sunny Oregon Coast

[turkeywire]

Here is what we do to cut down on these type of mailings. Take the envlope and all the printed matter that was enclosed. Place it in the enclosed self addressed stamped envlope and send it to them. You can always add any other junk mail that you happened to recieve that day. We have been doing this for several years and recieve very little unsolicated mail any more.

Carl

[chopnhack]

Agreed, I have been looking to do this with my little ones as well. Credit and credit score is the current "mark of the beast" and you really can't do anything in this world without it. Why not give them a fighting chance? What a great start for any kid to have a 700+ credit score coming out of college!

I would apply for the card, with real data, and see what happens. If by some chance it is approved I would then keep it and use it, paying it off each month. By the time she is 18 she will have a great credit rating (I think). It doesn't really matter what the interest rate is if you pay it off. You do have a SS card for her? You will need it for the application.

Years ago a man I worked for did this when his 6 year old got an application. by the time he was 18 and in collage he had several cards including an AMEX and his dad had run many thousands of dollars across those cards. A full addition on to the house, if I remember correctly. His student loans when through with a snap. Just out of law school he bought a house. The banker told him that he was the only 26 year old he met with a 20 year credit history!

Bill, on the Sunny Oregon Coast

[Ed62]

Use it as a diaper, and return it!

Ingenious!

Ed

[scmhogg]

I had an app sent to my youngest when he was 3 or 4. I filled it out with all the true info. When it asked for income, I wrote, " My Mommy and Daddy buy me all I need." His occupation was pre-school student.

I never heard from them again. Not even a rejection.

I still receive solicitations for my deceased father. My favorite if from a magazine company that prints, "We want to resurrect you!" on the outside of the envelope. Maybe I should give it a try.

Steve