Shredding Tips to Prevent Identity Theft

"Dumpster diving," or rifling through trash cans 1962 Topps baseball cards personal information, is a common tactic used by ID thieves.

You are definitely placing yourself at risk if you don't shred sensitive documentation.

Assuming you place your trash at the curb, or in a public dumpster, the U.S. Supreme Court has indicated that someone can legally dig through your trash.In the decision California vs. Greenwood, they stated that the "expectation of privacy in trash left for collection in an area accessible to the public... is unreasonable."This implies that someone could legally dig through your trash looking for credit card receipts, bank account numbers, or your Social Security number.

This great risk can be easily controlled by using a paper shredder to destroy all documents and files before discarding them.By shredding all documentation, containing sensitive, personal information, you are taking one of the Superman action figure important steps towards protecting your identity, and safeguarding your family's future.

Invest in a shredder for your home or office, ideally one that "cross cuts" (slices in two Mystic Skull If your shredder can't handle plastic, use scissors to cut up expired credit cards and identification before discarding Dr Strange larger disposal jobs, consider Mr. Mxyzptlk a shredding company.

You should shredanything that has a signature, account number, Social Security number, medical or legal information.In short, destroy all sensitive information including junk mail such as pre-approved credit offers. By simply shredding any personal information before discarding you can greatly reduce your risks of becoming one of the millions of victims of identity theft each year.

Jason Shafer is an ID Theft Specialist with SOLUS Identity Theft Protection. Your identity is your most valuable asset. To learn more about identity theft and identity theft protection please visit href="solusid.com">solusid.com

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