That wasn't very subtle.

Sitting in the mailbox when I got home were two letters from credit card companies. My wife usually pitches them before I every see them, but this time she handed them to me. One was from Chase, the other from Citi. One replacing my Master Card, the other my Visa. No numbers changed, just the expatriation date and security code. 

I find it interesting that they thought I might need new credit cards just in time for Christmas. It is probably to update the security info, but maybe it's also a not so subtle reminder that they are taking up space in my wallet and I don't use them enough. 

Anyone else get new cards just in time for the consumer holliday? 

In reply to Toyman01 :

Did you just enter the world of a chipped credit card?

No, we've got our credit locked since we lost my practice in a bankruptcy. 

Thanks, Wells Fargo!

They usually send me new ones the month before my current ones expire. 

Both the old cards were chipped. Both of them didn't expire for 2+ years. I'm not sure why they would replace them, unless the security chips were updated or they wanted to remind me they were still languishing in my wallet, ignored. 

Or someone somehow got them to send you new ones and was planning on taking them from your mailbox.

Have you maybe missed a letter about a security breach?

Wells Fargo, way back when I still used them, randomly sent me a new debit card, then a week later I got a letter about a security breach telling me to expect a new card soon. 

aircooled said:

Or someone somehow got them to send you new ones and was planning on taking them from your mailbox.

That’s what I’m thinking given that they came from two different banks with two years left on each and the numbers didn’t change…long odds against this being a coincidence.

I had the same thing happen to me a few months ago and a fraud investigation person from one of the banks told me this is a common tactic involving requesting a new card and putting in a change of address notification at just the right time to cause a mix up.

I suggest you contact both banks so they can put alerts on your accounts and get a credit report (it’s free to get one per year from each of the three major agencies and your inquiry doesn’t count as activity that can reduce your credit score).

I hate having to fool around with stuff like this but fraud is so rampant today that the banks (at least in my own recent experience) are actually really good at quickly, unambiguously, and painlessly taking care of the problem…honestly, get on the phone now and let them raise your defenses.

Having worked for two banks, including in fraud, and now working for a company that produces credit cards for many banks (i would imagine that probably 50% of the folks on this board have one that came through our facility), I guarantee there was no marketing or subtle reminders at play. This was either an update on the physical card security, or else fraud by someone planning to swipe the cards. May be prudent to call and ask why they were sent to make sure you (“you” being a fraudster) didn’t request them.