Today one of my friends asked me a very good question: How do I know that the url as described in the credit card application invitations are legitimate and not a scam? After a while, I responded: check my blog tomorrow.

Then I started to sort out the credit card websites from major credit card issuers. I think this it’s important to make sure you search on the internet for a while to make sure the websites that you are going to fill in your personal information is legitimate. You have to be extremely careful to prevent every possibility of identity theft.

Another point here is: you can’t believe the invitations except for those from household bank and orchard bank. Invitation letters are a kind of advertisement. The credit card companies buy your personal information (address) from credit report agencies. (You will see “soft inquiries” from many credit card companies in your credit report.) Most of invitations are trash. They are not targeted to your personal credit profiles, although all of them will say “you’re pre-approved!”. Actually, if you read carefully, you will see “In some instances,we may not be able to open account/approve your application for you.” on the letter (small print).

• Chase Personal and Business Card: www.chase.com
• Capital One Personal and Business Card: www.mycapitalonecard.com, www.getmycard.com
• WaMu Visa Platinum Credit Card (personal and business card) : www.getmyvisa.com
• Household Bank Master/Visa Card: www.hbaccpet.com
• Orchard Bank Master/Via Card: www.acceptourcard.com/visa, www.acceptourcard.com/mc
• Bank of America Credit Card: www.mynewcard.com
• HSBC BestBuy RewardZone MasterCard: www.getmyRZmastercard.com
• Advanta Business Card: www.bestcardoffer.com
• US Bank Visa Platinum Card (usually comes with 0% APR on balance transfer) : www.usbank.com/myoffer
• Citi CashReturns or Other Credit Cards: applyonline.citicards.com
• Citi Home Depot Consumer Credit Card: www.homedepot.com/preapproved
• American Express SimplyCash Business Card: www.open.com/applysimplycash
• American Express Gold SkyMiles Card: www.americanexpress.com/applydeltagold
• American Express Gold Rewards Card: www.open.com/applyBGR
• Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World MasterCard: www.miles1.citicards.com or www.fly9.citicards.com (They change the miles1 or fly9 frequently, it’s highly YMMV for you.)
• Discover Card (including all of discover cards issued by discover bank): www.mydiscovercard.com. There is another website for special invitation code: www.apply.discovercard.com.

If you know some websites that I haven’t included in this list, please leave a comment.

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