Document shredding is one important way to limit identity theft.
Identity theft is a serious problem – and it is not, unfortunately, something that only happens “to other people.” In fact, a report from Javelin Strategy & Research estimated that in 2010, 8.1 million adults in the United States were victims of identity theft, leading to overall losses of $37 billion.
According to the Better Business Bureau, despite fears of phishing and other online scams, “most ‘garden variety’ identity theft doesn’t involve cyberspace…. most identity thieves still rely on tried-and-true methods to get their hands on your paper records – real documents that can serve as the basis for their dirty work.”
All of this explains why paper shredding and other simple steps are so often recommended as ways for individuals to protect themselves from identity theft – by limiting access to sensitive information before it can fall into the wrong hands.
We’ve compiled tips and advice from several government sources to help you learn more about what you can do to keep your data more secure, and get a start on creating your own identity protection program.
And if you’d like to find out more about paper shredding and how you can take advantage of A Shred Ahead’s services, please contact us for more information.
“Make sure you cross-shred all documents that may have any personal information on them. Consumers should destroy anything with credit card or bank account numbers, and make sure thieves find no trace of Social Security numbers in their trash cans. Shredding receipts for credit or ATM card transactions is also a good precaution to take.”
— Better Business Bureau