1 Happy St

Yesterday I received an envelope in the mail that looked pretty much like junk (like an application for a credit card), but I opened it anyway just to be sure and also so that I could properly shred it afterwards. Inside, I was shocked at what I found. Apparently Visa took it upon themselves to sign me up for a Jeep Rewards Visa credit card. Included inside the envelope were 3 checks (numbered 1000, 1001, and 1002) with my full name and address already on them and an indication that these were valid and could be used at my discretion. Also included was an active PIN for immediate cash access.

Never in my life have I signed up for a credit card that wasn't directly associated with my personal bank, nor would I. So how is it legal for the credit companies to sign me up without my knowledge or consent? More importantly, how is it legal for them to send me active personalized checks through the mail? Who's to stop some yahoo from getting their hands on my mail and using it themselves?

The Federal Government has agencies that try to inform the public about identity theft, and there's countless websites that issue tips on how we can protect ourselves. So why are the credit card companies even allowed to do this? I fail to see how something this important could be overlooked by the agencies who try to thwart identity theft. Instead, we're left to protect ourselves and that's a bunch of crap.

[Editor's note: Hopefully, this is Brian's only rant of the month and he'll soon go back to posting something more juvenile and non-sensical]