History Main / CreditCardDestruction

Before electronic payment terminals became ubiquitous in the 2000s, many merchants processed credit card payments using a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_card_imprinter mechanical imprinter]] (nicknamed a "zip-zap" or "knuckle buster") which only made a paper copy of the card number. They were supposed to check the card number against lists of stolen and invalid numbers issued by the card companies, but many merchants skipped this step to save time. With no way to verify with the bank in real time that the card had available credit, merchants would hand over the goods and wouldn't find out until weeks later that the card was declined and they were on the hook for the lost amount. Therefore, it was critical that when a merchant ''did'' come across an invalid card, it had to be destroyed so that the customer couldn't defraud other merchants with it later on.

[[TechnologyMarchesOn As more countries transition to payment terminals]] which allow the customer to swipe, insert, or tap their own card [[TropeBreaker without handing it to the merchant]], this is becoming a DiscreditedTrope.

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* WebAnimation/EtraChanSawIt: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPgyRzlGktA After Yuri found out her credit card expired]], her husband Kuroki helps destroy it. However, her neighbor Azami searched through their trash to steal it, even coming to her house to call her out for the card's missing pieces.

Before electronic payment terminals became ubiquitous in the 2000s, many merchants processed credit card payments using a mechanical imprinter which only made a paper copy of the card number. They were supposed to check the card number against lists of stolen and invalid numbers issued by the card companies, but many merchants skipped this step to save time. With no way to verify with the bank in real time that the card had available credit, merchants would hand over the goods and wouldn't find out until weeks later that the card was declined and they were on the hook for the lost amount. Therefore, it was critical that when a merchant ''did'' come across an invalid card, it had to be destroyed so that the customer couldn't defraud other merchants with it later on.

Although a card issuer can request this via a message through the card terminal, the merchant must retain the pieces of destroyed card and return them to the bank-- not the customer.[[note]]Merchants may do this (when directed) as payment cards remain property of the bank, and the merchant is acting on their behalf. However, as cutting up or retaining a customer's card can incite a confrontation, merchants are instructed to only do this if there is no threat to their safety.[[/note]] It generally happens when the card is reported stolen, not due to a mere lack of credit.

[[TechnologyMarchesOn As more countries transition to payment terminals]] which allow the customer to swipe, insert, or tap their own card [[TropeBreaker without handing it to the merchant]], this is becoming a DiscreditedTrope. Banks do advise cardholders to destroy their old cards when they expire to deter identity theft.

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!Examples

[[TechnologyMarchesOn As more countries transition to payment terminals]] which allow the customer to swipe, insert, or tap their own card [[TropeBreaker without handing it to the merchant]], this is becoming a DiscreditedTrope.

Before electronic payment terminals became ubiquitous in the 2000s, many merchants processed credit card payments using a mechanical imprinter which only made a paper copy of the card number. They were supposed to check the card number against a list of stolen and invalid numbers issued by the card companies, but many merchants skipped this step to save time. With no way to verify with the bank in real time that the card had available credit, merchants would hand over the goods and wouldn't find out until weeks later that the card was declined and they were on the hook for the lost amount. Therefore, it was critical that when a merchant ''did'' come across an invalid card, it had to be destroyed so that the customer couldn't defraud other merchants with it later on.

[[TechnologyMarchesOn As more countries transition to payment terminals]] which allow the customer to swipe, insert, or tap their own card [[TropeBreaker without handing it to the merchant]], this is becoming a DiscreditedTrope. If the card is invalid, the transaction will simply be declined.

* Subverted in ''Literature/AdrianMole'': In ''Weapons of Mass Destruction'' when Adrian has got into a spiral of credit card debt, his accountant Parvez symbolically cuts Adrian's store card in half, saying "you'll thank me one day".

[[TechnologyMarchesOn As more countries transition to payment terminals]] which allow the customer to swipe, insert, or tap their own card [[TropeBreaker without handing it to the merchant]], this is becoming a DiscreditedTrope.

As more countries transition to payment terminals which allow the customer to swipe, insert, or tap their own card [[TropeBreaker without handing it to the merchant]], this is becoming a DiscreditedTrope.

Before electronic payment terminals became ubiquitous in the 2000s, many merchants processed credit card payments using a mechanical imprinter which only made a paper copy of the card number. With no way to verify with the bank in real time that the card had available credit, merchants would hand over the goods and wouldn't find out until weeks later that the card was declined and they were on the hook for the lost amount. Therefore, it was critical that when a merchant ''did'' come across an invalid card, it had to be destroyed so that the customer couldn't defraud other merchants with it later on.

* In the pilot episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Sixteen}}'', the Khaki Barn staff [[https://youtu.be/owPKQ3-o0ko?t=415 cut Caitlyn's credit card in half]] while she's holding it in her hand, commencing the series' CreditCardPlot.

* In the ''Series/Zoey101'' episode "Logan Gets Cut Off", Logan uses his father's credit card to buy a car, which at the time of 2005, cost $327,000. Mr. Reese is furious, because he expected Logan to use the card for education and clothing only, not such frivolous purchases. He comes over to PCA, cuts him off as the episode title says, and orders Logan to give up the credit card. When he reluctantly does, Mr. Reese grabs a pair of scissors. Logan, seeing this, panics and desperately begs for his father to stop carrying out the deed. But he cuts it in half, causing Logan to have a MASSIVE FreakOut over the fact that he can't use any of his father's money anymore. And to add insult to injury, his father gives him back the broken pieces of credit card, as if they could still be of some use.

* In SeriesZoey101 episode “Logan Gets Cut Off”, Logan uses his father’s credit card to buy a car, which at the time of 2005, cost $327,000. Mr. Reese is furious, because he expected Logan to use the card for education and clothing only, not such frivolous purchases. He comes over to PCA , cuts him off as the episode title says, and orders Logan to give up the credit card. When he reluctantly does, Mr. Reese grabs a pair of scissors. Logan, seeing this, panics and desperately begs for his father to stop carrying out the deed. But he cuts it in half, causing Logan to have a MASSIVE FreakOut over the fact that he can’t use any of his father’s money anymore. And to add insult to injury, his father gives him back the broken pieces of credit card, as if they could still be of some use.

* ''WesternAnimation/HouseOfMouse'': In the short "Mickey Foils the Phantom Blot", the Phantom Blot steals Professor Von Drake's unlimited card card to go on a bank-robbing spree, and Mickey eventually takes it snips it in half.

A variation may occur when a character runs up a lot of debt by irresponsible credit card use and needs to be bailed out; the person providing the bail-out might, for obvious reasons, insist that the credit cards must go and might destroy them (rather than simply [[NoMatterHowMuchIBeg keep them away from the owner]]) to underscore the point.

* In SeriesZoey101, Logan uses his father’s credit card to buy a car, which at the time of 2005, cost $327,000. Mr. Reese is furious, and comes over to PCA to order Logan to give up the credit card. When he reluctantly does, Mr. Reese grabs a pair of scissors. Logan, seeing this, panics and desperately begs for his father to stop carrying out the deed. But he cuts it in half, causing Logan to have a MASSIVE FreakOut over the fact that he can’t use any of his father’s money anymore. And to add insult to injury, his father gives him back the broken pieces of credit card, as if they could still be of some use.

In RealLife, a credit card which has reached its credit limit will be declined if used for additional transactions. In fiction, however, merchants will cut up the card and give the pieces back to the customer. This is almost always the start of a CreditCardPlot.

* In ''Series/TheFreshPrinceOfBelAir'', Philip tells his own kids, Hillary, Carlton, and Ashley that they should learn from Will's example, since he had a job and was paying for his own things, and chastised the latter two for purchases that amounted to a few dozen dollars, which Vivian doesn't think is a big deal, and reminds Phillip to wear his reading glasses. However, when Vivian tells Philip that Hillary's shopping bills amount to a few ''thousand'' dollars, he takes her credit cards away, and Vivian makes her watch as Phillip snaps them in half, causing Hillary to let out a piercing scream.

-->'''Mickey:''' Too late, Blot! ''Credit denied!''

* During the "Make the Most of It" musical number from ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'' episode "[[Recap/TheAmazingWorldOfGumballS3E1TheKids The Kids]]", Nicole can be seen in tears after Larry cuts her credit card in half at the mall.

* In ''Series/TheFreshPrinceofBelAir'', Philip tells his own kids, Hillary, Carlton, and Ashley that they should learn from Will's example, since he had a job and was paying for own things, and chastised the latter two for purchases that amounted to a few dozen dollars, which Vivian doesn't think is a big deal, and reminds Phillip to wear his reading glasses. However, when Vivian tells Philip that Hillary's shopping bills amount to a few thousand dollars, he takes her credit cards away, and Vivian makes her watch as Phillip snaps them in half, causing Hillary to let out a piercing scream.

* In the pilot episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Sixteen}}'', the Khaki Barn staff [[https://youtu.be/owPKQ3-o0ko?t=415 cut Caitlyn's credit card in half]] while she's holding it in her hand, commencing the series' CreditCardPlot.

* In ''Series/TheFreshPrinceofBelAir'', Philip tells his own kids, Hillary, Carlton, and Ashley that they should learn from Will's example, since he had a job and was paying for own things, and chastised the latter two for purchases that amounted to a few dozen dollars, which Vivian doesn't think is a big deal, and reminds Phillip to wear his reading glasses. However, when Vivian tells Philip that Hillary's shopping bills amount to a few thousand dollars, he takes her cards away, and Vivian makes her watch as Phillip snaps them in half, causing Hillary to let out a piercing scream.

As more countries transition to payment terminals which allow the customer to swipe, insert, or tap their own card without handing it to the merchant, this is becoming a DiscreditedTrope.