EliminateIDTheft was featured recently on CreditCards.com

This is a synopsis of the information Scott Stevenson, founder and CEO of EliminateIdTheft shared.

Many of us receive new credit cards and stash them in a desk drawer, confident they cannot be used because they've never been activated.

In fact, very few banks send out a card that can't be used without activation, at least in low-risk situations. At this writing, Discover and Wells Fargo issue cards that cannot be used until activated -- many others may allow small purchases.

How do you safeguard your card?

1. Send the card to a PO box or a locked mailbox. If that's not possible, at least watch your mailbox closely when you're expecting a new card. If it doesn't arrive as expected, contact the card issuer. You can also actively monitor your credit report, so you'll know immediately if a new card is used by someone else.
2. Call to activate the card from your home phone. If the activation sticker indicates you should call from your home phone, do so. Not calling from the home number could flag the card, forcing further discussion with your bank and possibly requiring issuance of a new card.
3. If the option is presented, activate the card online or at an ATM. That's just as secure as telephone activation and faster.
4. Cancel the card if you don't want it. Annual fees will accrue on the card, even if you never activate it. So if you don't intend to use it, cancel it before any activity occurs.

Safeguard your good name and your credit by monitoring activity in your name. Learn more about EliminateIDTheft's identity protection package.