Pre-activated credit cards -- are these legal?

[ess]

When I got home last night, there was a blue envelop on our dining table addressed to me.

Inside the envelope was a BDO Mastercard, pre-activated.
It had a sticker on it which read, "No need to activate, your card is already ACTIVE. For your protection, please immediately sign at the back of the card."

Unfortunately, I was not at home when the courier brought the card. Had I been home, I would have refused to receive the card. Pero nandon na eh.

I immediately called up BDO and had the card cancelled.


I've had my share of credit card spam over the years but all of them were decent enough to do one of the following:
- They would CALL ME UP and ask for my approval (as in the case of BPI, HSBC and Standard Chartered),
- Or would send me a CCard which I then need to activate. If I don't activate within a set deadline, the card is automatically void. (Amex)
- Or they would send me a letter saying I'm pre-qualified ek-ek, and I just have to call their phone banking center to have a card sent to me (Citibank).

BDO is the first ever pre-approved, pre-activated card I've received.
WTF?! Is this even legal?

WHAT if I were lazy or stupid or ignorant enough to ignore the CCard and not have it cancelled? After two years, I'll be surprised to get a statement charging me a yearly membership fee, which I'll then have to contest, and would probably lose out on because I had two years to cancel but didn't?

So now, the burden is upon me to cancel their "gift"?

[CVT]

First time I heard this....

Baka naman kasi they know that you have lots of moolah to burn, so they sent you that...

11.2K:bee:

[shadow]

max mo yun card then huwag mo sila bayaran...

[frenchtower]

If that falls into wrong hands and used without your knowledge/authority, you'll be in HUGE mess trying to detach yourself from any obligation. If that happens to me, I'll make sure they will have an appointment with my lawyer.

[ess]

Lots of moolah? Heheheh... I wish! :D
Pero I doubt that's the reason. The Credit Limit is only 20k! Halos entry level.

Anyway, I was told that I may call up after three business days to check if the cancellation was successful. Bad trip talaga. Abala!

[CVT]

^^^ I feel for you bro....

11.2K:bee:

[xtremerider]

I think that's part of the BDO Promo about Credit Card...this pre approved card.

Well if you received such promo like this, a friend of mine informed me that whenever you received such pre approved card and you don't want to use it then call the customer service to cancel it or just ignore the card but don't use it. They will not charge you even a single centavo for renewal since you didn't use the card.

[ess]

That's good to hear.

I just wish they'd written it down on the letter that I may ignore the card.

[jimnyeatworld]

tapos aaaraw-arawin ka pag malapit na due ng card mo, i hate BDO cards para syang yun hiniraman kong kebigan ng CD noon araw, araw-araw din ako tinatawagan. parang di mapakali pag may utang ka sa kanya.

i don't like Chinese owned banks and credit cards.

[boybi]

May nareceive din ako dati, AIG credit card naman. pre-approved din. Yun nga lang, you have to call to activate the card.