Betty Reiss, spokeswoman for Bank of America, agrees. "It provides another verification point," she says.

Expiration dates tend to be more effective as another layer of fraud protection when transactions are processed manually, says Lynne Strang, vice president of communications for the American Financial Services Association, a trade association for companies that issue credit.

In the United States, the expiration date becomes "less significant" for fraud prevention "because most transactions are authorized electronically," she says.

The second reason for an expiration date? Unlike a diamond, plastic isn't forever. "The magnetic strip disintegrates over three to four years," says Janis Tarter, spokesperson for Citi Card.

Sometimes the magnetic strip "gets worn off or gets cracked," says Eisen. By supplying new cards on a regular cycle, the companies insure that "the magnetic strip is functioning the way it was intended," he says.

"There also might be updates on that magnetic strip," Eisen says. "It allows the issuer to update that information."

The lifespan of a credit card is "at the issuer's discretion," he says, meaning it's the issuing bank or credit union that decides your card's shelf-life. "The average is approximately three years," he says.

Tarjetas De Credito