Instant Online Credit Card Applications Have Changed

Five years ago, a consumer could apply for a credit card and receive not only confirmation of approval, but also the card’s 16 digit number and expiration date in a matter of minutes. Getting a credit card online was truly an instant process. And an easy one. Especially for identity thieves, who could max out a person’s virtual credit card before the actual plastic arrived in the unsuspecting consumer’s mailbox. Problems such as these ultimately led to the phasing out of instant online credit cards.

At present, American Express