Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 30, 1995                   TAG: 9506300069
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

IN BUSINESS

SAN JOSE, Calif. - John Galbreath, like many people with good credit, gets scads of unsolicited, ``pre-approved'' credit card applications in the mail that he regards as a nuisance. But he doesn't just toss them.

He fills out the applications with absurd information, mails them back and most outfits leave him alone.

But he was shocked last month when he got a card from MBNA America, the second-largest issuer of bank cards in the nation, welcoming him to the fold with a $1,500 credit limit.

Mind you, Galbreath had told MBNA he was born on Feb. 32, 1877, had no income, no telephone and no Social Security number. In a space inviting him to let MBNA pay off his other credit card balances, he said he owed money to ``the Mafia.''

The card, to top it all off, was issued to ``Mr. John Reath,'' misspelling his last name.

``I was trying to discourage them,'' said Galbreath, who lives in Los Gatos, Calif. ``I'm retired and obviously a little bored or I wouldn't be playing these pranks. No way do I intend to use the card.

``I guess, if I were a crook, I could steal some money pretty easily,'' the former IBM engineer said.

``I'd be a little worried about the other applications he sent back with wrongful information,'' said Ruth Susswein, executive director of Bankcard Holders of America in Salem, Va. ``He'd better get a copy of his credit report to make sure he's not being shown as having been rejected for credit now. This kind of thing can backfire, even though it sounds like harmless fun.''

In its defense, the bank said Galbreath got a card because there's actually a credit report for a ``John C. Reath'' that lists Galbreath's address.

``A real live person looked at his application, not a computer,'' said MBNA spokesman Peter Osborne. ``Even though he hadn't given complete information on the form, they found a credit report showing a good credit history. If there's a lesson to be learned, I think it's that you shouldn't fool around with applications. Besides, it's illegal to put false information on an application.''

- Knight-Ridder Newspapers

Federal-Mogul buys distributor

Federal-Mogul Corp., Southfield, Mich.-based operator of an engine bearings plant in Blacksburg, said Thursday it has completed its $35 million acquisition of Bertolotti S.r.l., a distributor of premium brand European auto and truck parts throughout Italy.

Bertolotti, with annual sales of about $60 million, operates one central warehouse in Milan and 16 wholesale branches throughout Italy.

- Staff report

Markets to close for holiday

U.S. stock and financial markets will be closed Tuesday for the Independence Day holiday. Some financial markets will be either closed or operate shorter sessions on Monday. The weekly auction of Treasury bills is scheduled for its usual Monday date.

The Roanoke Times will not publish financial tables on Wednesday but will resume regular reports with Thursday's editions.