TRASH DAY is what most of us call it, however, it’s considered “CASH DAY” to identity thieves. Many trash cans on the streets contain the unwanted “junk mail” and outdated bills / documents that many of us simply toss into our waste-baskets without blinking an eye. These documents often have personal information that identity thieves can piece together to take control of your identity and credit.
Typical items identity thieves seek include: Pre-approved credit card offers and applications, credit card and bank statements, unused credit card checks, pension and Investment account statements, expired credit and debit cards, canceled checks, paycheck stubs, wage and earnings statements, utility bills, retail invoices and statements, tax returns and statements, Insurance & Medical bills, and expired identification documents (driver’s licenses and passports).
Fortunately, identity theft resulting from trash searches is the easiest type of crime to prevent. Shredding your documents that include account numbers, names, and addresses will stop identity scavengers in their tracks. Cross-cut “security” shredders are best suited for this task. Simply ripping a document a few times by hand will not suffice. Identity thieves will spend hours putting ripped documents back together like a jigsaw puzzle, as they know there can be a huge payoff, at the end. Continued document shredding will help ensure your identity and finances stay safe and YOURS.
Jeff Dunker
Communications and Network Services
10/29/2015 |