ProtectMyID

This number can be hard to digest, but, according to Javelin Strategy & Research, it’s estimated that more than 9 million people are victims of identity theft every year.  That is a significantly high number especially with how the economy has been.  Nowadays, people are so desperate for money that cash-motivated identity thieves are committing fraud by taking innocent people’s information through easy, common ways such as dumpster diving.

When it comes to protecting yourself from this growing trend, a shredder is how you can slice it.  It’s not enough to tear up your documents by hand anymore because identity thieves can piece them back together.

A shredder is a much better way to dispose of any sensitive documents which contain your personal information.  What kinds of sensitive documents is a good idea to shred?  You can start with your utility bills, ATM receipts, old resumes, cancelled checks, legal or insurance documents, pay stubs, credit cards and bank statements and anything with an address or Social Security number on it. However, there are some items you should destroy that you might not think of. Those include, any papers displaying a maiden name, pre-screened credit card offers, employee ID tags, any documents that contain signatures, luggage tags and even airline tickets.

So get proactive and buy yourself a shredder.  Gather your family, friends, or neighbors and have a shred day.  Even better, you can have a block party “shred day” and take a slice out of identity theft.