Why Do Credit Cards Break and Splinter?

Send me your cards. I will try to repair them for you.

Not necessary to send the cards anywhere as its simply an issue of a swollen account that can be corrected from any remote location.

if the problem doesn't correct itself by taking your wallet out of your back pocket or letting your wife hold the cards (this works best). Just let me know and I'll send you wiring instructions so we can work together to remove the excess pressure built up in the card in just a few minutes.

Hello JE in Chicago

Send me your damaged cards, and I shall try and repair them.

You will need to include your PIN numbers, to ensure they work OK when repairs are completed.

Kind Regards....

Hello JE in Chicago

Your cards are not Credit Cards, they are Debt Facility Cards.

Part of the reason for longitudinal cracks/splits/breaks is the damaged feed/return rollers inside many ATM's.

Many ATM's are damaged by disgruntled users, punks, or bored kids, who insert "foreign objects" into the card slot, thus causing damage to the roller mechanism.

Part of the problem is that it is not easy to establish which ATM or ATMs which damaged your card/s.

ATM owners really don't care about the damaged feed mechanisms, because with such a debt bait, there's plenty of fish arriving for the berley.

<"....Don't they want me to spend?....">

How can you spend a debt?

Kind Regards....

Funny that...

It happens to me, but not my wife!

I will assume that you are male...

keep the card out of the wallet or keep the wallet out of the back pocket.

That worked for me.

What is the expected lifetime you require from your cards?

The plastic should last until the expiry date of your plastic card, but that is if you take care of your card.

Did you read "Handling and precautions for your new Credit Card" ?

I guess you didn't, as I'm sure it states to keep the card flat, and try not to bend it, this bending will fatigue the card, then you will get the cracking.

After the cards expiry date, generally you don't mind the card cracking or breaking, or you do it yourself to makesure no one else can use it (even measuring the chip inside for its ability to resist a hammer directly to its surface)

All I can say is, keep the cards flat, don't expose to sunlight, don't bend/flex them too much/often.

I have had my Debit card since 10/2001 and it still looks fine. No cracks or anything. I use it monthly. Do not carry it in my back pocket and keep it in a folder for cards (plastic folder). I must say that I have never in my life had the need to get a new card because of breakage. Not shopping cards, credit cards even my garage card. Look after it and you will be amazed how long plastic lasts.

I have the exact same problem with all my cards... It's the wallet in the back pocket issue. I am always having to replace cards early because they eventually crack and split along the length at the exact point they protrude from the wallet slot.

I changed my wallet for one where the cards go completely in the slot and it is much better.

Kris - Bristol, UK

Never had that problem. Maybe you should check your credit score.

Any plastic is going to have chemicals in the material that will evaporate out over time. This is why even "indestructible" rubber tires have the sidewalls start to crack and the tread harden.

As the plasticizers evaporate out of the material it becomes more brittle and very prone to snapping.

I imagine the cards aren't designed to last more than a couple of years - which is their typical expiry time as well.

I've also found that the magnetic strips don't do well in my wallet either. Guess I should diet!

Plastic is not my forte so I don't know what kind of plastic is used in the cards, but I have found that the newer "clear" cards that are not opaque never have this problem. My Drivers liscence never has this problem either. An unused atm card will last me about 9 months in my back pocket before the card cracks and another month before it breaks in two. They never make it to the expiration date.

Sounds like thats setteled then. Sure got my GA

It's certainly to do with the wallet & back pocket issue combined with the curve of the rump issue. I'm sure I could help stop my cards splitting by losing 40 pounds but that's not going to happen any time soon.

Soooo.. with all of our QC and super plastics.. none can be made into a credit card built to withstand the punishing environment of a wallet in a back pocket?

BS no GA

it sounds like they are manufacturing a couple pennies in savings with each card.

It can't all be due to the ATMs, I have splits in cards that never go through a reader. Store loyalty cards just get scanned at the till or read by a contactless reader.