26 Oct Is It Safe to Recycle Personal Documents
One person`s garbage is another person`s treasure, isn`t it? But the last thing you want is for someone to get documents thrown away with your private information. If you`re like most people, you`ve thrown away or recycled papers with your name on them. Some documents may even include your address, phone number, or date of birth. Without thinking about it, many people throw credit card statements, old bank statements, expired insurance papers, or other documents in the trash. After all, they are no longer relevant to you and end up either recycled or in a landfill. And no one looks at what ends up in landfills – or does they? In a recent incident in Georgia, it became very clear that the landfill is not a safe place for confidential documents. Take a look: No matter what industry you`re in, you don`t want records containing personally identifiable information (PII) or proprietary data to fall into the wrong hands. Avoid throwing the following paper documents in the trash: This entire article was an excuse to put purchase links. Multi-cut scissors? Riiiiiiight.
Try this with documents. You will be there all Friday. Question: Should I worry about sensitive documents in my recycling? Even our local grocery store now offers a digital version only for receipts. This is the best option to reduce the need to get rid of sensitive documents. You can also bring your papers to a shredding service; This is usually associated with costs. Visit UPS, Office Depot and other places if you have too much paperwork to use your shredder or just don`t want to take care of it yourself. “If you can`t access a shredder, save the documents you want to shred in a locked box until you can shred them,” says Guild. “You can also hire a shredding service if you can`t afford to do it yourself. Your community can also host a shredding event. “This service is usually provided for free, so if you`re willing to store your sensitive documents for long periods of time, this might be a good option for you.
Now that we understand the main benefit of shredding, let`s go over different methods of disposing of our documents if we don`t have a shredder at home. Why shred? What should I shred? How long should I keep sensitive documents? Can I recycle shredded paper? Suggested articles on shredding Government agencies, hospitals and many other organizations understand the seriousness of improper disposal of records containing personal information. Most have procedures in place to dispose of outdated and unnecessary records and documents. But anyone who throws away or recycles paper needs to understand the risks associated with these items ending up in a landfill. Although undue dumping has been mitigated in Georgia, in most cases these types of events are not reported. Confidential information is clearly visible and you are exposed to the risk of identity theft. Identity theft is dangerous, not only because someone can use your name and Social Security number to get loans, open a loan, etc., but also because they can access your bank accounts, credit accounts, etc. Identity theft causes financial loss and damage to your credit report. If customers are concerned about recycling garbage collectors, I encourage them not to shred their sensitive documents, but to use them to pack leftovers and throw them in the green bin for composting.
Develop a document management system that covers document retention period, employee best practices, and approved disposal methods. It`s also a good idea to store garbage and recycling bins there and keep them locked if possible. The FTC estimates that 10 million Americans fall victim to identity theft each year. Do what you can to avoid this statistic when erasing by protecting your sensitive personal information. Here are the criteria you need to know if you want to throw documents in the trash or destroy them when you get rid of piles of paper. There are always local services burning your documents, but of course it costs. I understand how to create documents with information about salaries, savings or expenses such as bank statements, 401k or credit card. Is it important to destroy utility bills such as oil, electricity, and phone bills? Although he has a name, address, and account, these would most likely end up in a landfill, and if someone found them, I don`t see how they would steal your identity or relevant financial data with them. Depending on how many documents you destroy, you will have to wait anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
Squeeze and drag the documents until only pulp remains. Document destruction methods approved by the National Security Agency (NSA) and HIPAA include burning and shredding. These methods are time-consuming and chaotic for small businesses. If you burn documents, you need to make sure that the charred pieces do not fly through the air and that the ashes are well crushed after the end. The main reason for destroying your documents is to protect the information printed on them. However, shredding does not necessarily prevent information from falling into the wrong hands. Many people regularly receive documents with sensitive documents, whether it is a bank statement, credit card statement, receipt, or similar. Those who work for law firms, government agencies, or companies that handle classified information are likely to handle such sensitive data often. When shredding by hand, be sure to tear the delicate parts of the documents into several parts. In addition, I highly recommend throwing the different shredded parts in different garbage cans or recycling bins.
Local businesses can shred documents for their customers. Some services are free, while others charge by the pound. Since they mix your papers with others from multiple clients, this can be a safe option. Here are some examples of companies that shred documents: And you`ve never tried water, have you? I know this because I tried this trick years ago: I took mail and documents and soaked them in water. The paper is not modified. It`s wet, but doesn`t degrade, not these days. The newspapers will. Invoices and documents will not. Some financial documents must be stored and not shredded.
These include estate planning documents: a will, power of attorney or health insurance policy must be kept in a safe or fireproof safe. Share certificates and bonds must be kept by your broker. Reimbursement notices should be kept permanently; One day, you may need proof that you have actually repaid a loan, including student loans and cars. This is similar to real estate records: mortgage and home equity loan documents should be kept at least until they are repaid, but it is good practice to keep the record as assurance that you have repaid the loans. Birth and death certificates, marriage certificates, Social Security cards, military release papers, permanent life insurance – keep it all in a safe place forever. One final point about shredding is that it is not foolproof. Software can help “unravel” documents, meaning someone doesn`t need to sit at a desk and manually assemble thousands of pieces of paper to get your information. If you have a shredder, take the time to shred the papers before throwing them away. “Shredding is a great way to get rid of bank statements, financial documents, pre-approved loan offers, or other documents that contain your personal information,” says Guild. “You should always keep your checkbook and other financial documents and information in a locked box at home, fireproof safe or safe. For added safety, you can divide the shredded pieces into different bags or garbage cans.
These documents include paper pay stubs, credit card receipts and statements, invoices and old legal documents. They can be shredded once you`ve verified that your monthly statement matches receipts and once your payment is received. The higher the security level of a shredder and the higher the volume of shredded documents, the longer it takes to work. That`s where we step in to help. We`re here to highlight the golden rules when it comes to shredding sensitive documents and some of the best ways to do it. Or maybe privacy laws require you to shred file types such as customer documents or medical and insurance records. “Dumpster diving,” or rummaging through garbage cans for personal information, is a tactic used by identity thieves. You`re taking a terrible risk if you don`t shred delicate materials. Keep in mind that the lack of oxygen in the middle of a large piece of documents can delay the fire or prevent all the papers from being burned.
It is often easier to know which classes of records should simply be shredded (or otherwise destroyed) than to say, “All containing sensitive personal information.” So I`ve also created this list of the top 15 types of documents to shred. On the other hand, we are often afraid to get rid of our papers and documents because we do not want personal information, which can be a big problem with identity theft and financial crimes that are maintained when a dishonest person receives this type of information. Using credit cards and bank statements to pack last night`s table waste and other food scraps encourages people to recycle leftovers while avoiding the need for “compostable” plastic bags.