Welcome to the world, post September 11 - a world where the
terrorists took many things from us, including the ability
to easily find anonymous prepaid credit cards. Back in the
day, you used to be able to get a prepaid credit card
without even supplying your real name. Nowadays, it's hard
to find one that doesn't require a social security number.
We have stricter laws to thank for this - laws that are
supposed to keep us safe from terrorists (but somehow
affect our own freedoms at the same time). If you're
wondering how to get access to truly anonymous prepaid
credit cards, here are some things to keep in mind.
Why Would Someone Want Anonymous Prepaid Credit Cards?
Before we go into the "hows" of anonymous prepaid credit
cards, let's discuss the "whys" of the matter. Some believe
that only those with something to hide would want one to
begin with. This couldn't be further from the truth.
Whenever you make a purchase with a credit card, your
spending habits are tracked. Every movie you rent, every
medication you buy - it's all there on display in some
database somewhere. Do you really want Uncle Sam knowing
what you eat for dinner, where you shop, what movies you
watch and what you buy when you go to the mall?
Alas, there is often a legitimate need for anonymous
prepaid credit cards and privacy is one of them. Some of us
just aren't comfortable with the fact that every non-cash
purchase we make can be tracked. It's not that we're doing
anything wrong - it's just that it's no one else's business.
Of course, paying for everything with cash isn't always an
option. Ever try buying something online with cash? Tell me
how it goes for you. Sometimes the only solution to privacy
woes is an anonymous prepaid credit card.
They Are Out There
If financial institutions are requiring names, addresses
and social security numbers for prepaid credit cards, is
"anonymous" a thing of the past? Not necessarily.
You can indeed find anonymous prepaid credit cards. They're
just not wrapped up the same anymore. Companies like Visa
and American Express now offer gift cards that work much
the same way that prepaid credit cards do, but you don't
have to provide personal information to buy or use them.
That being said, it's important to note that some prepaid
gift cards are now requiring you to register them with a
social security number. How do you get around this? Know
which ones don't require this information. The American
Express gift card is one of them. So is the Vanilla Visa
gift card.
The Reload Issue
Some of these gift cards are re-loadable and some are not.
Sometimes it depends on where you purchase them. If you
want to use these as anonymous prepaid credit cards and
don't want to keep changing your credit card number each
time the balance runs out, make sure you get one with a
re-load option.
Don't give up hope yet, my privacy-conscious friends. While
getting anonymous prepaid credit cards isn't as easy as it
used to be, it can still be done.
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For more tips on prepaid credit cards, saving money and
avoiding getting taken, check out CreditCardTipsEtc.com, a
website that specializes in providing credit card tips,
advice and resources.
http://www.creditcardtipsetc.com/prepaid_credit_cards/
