Do you routinely throw away receipts, bills, and credit card offers without making your personal information illegible? If so, you may be at risk for identity theft, which occurs when someone takes your name, address, credit card account number, or other identifying information, and uses it for fraudulent purposes.
Multiple types of theft
The Federal Trade Commission's (FTC's) Identity Theft Data Clearinghouse received more than 25,000 identity theft complaints in 2000. While half the victims reported credit card fraud and a quarter reported an authorized utility service — such as a cell phone account — had been set up in their name, other complaints involved identities stolen to receive fraudulent bank loans, forge government documents, or evade police. Half the reports involved multiple types of identity pilfering.
Identity thieves are often "dumpster divers" who take personal information from wherever it is discarded, such as the trash or a recycling bin. In many cases, victims don't realize that their identities have been used for fraud until they see unusual charges on their credit card statement or a collection agency contacts them about defaulting on an account that they didn't open. Often, the thievery takes time to discover. According to the FTC, "Over 35 percent of victims noticed the identity theft within one month of its occurrence. However, some victims were unaware of the theft for as long as five years."
What documents can be used by thieves to steal your identity? According to GBC's Office Products Group, be particularly careful when disposing of the following items.| Address labels | Medical and dental records |
| ATM receipts | Pre–approved credit card applications |
| Bank statements | Resumes |
| Canceled or voided checks | Tax forms |
| Credit card bills | Travel itineraries |
| Employee pay stubs | Used airline tickets |
| Expired passports | Utility bills |
| Luggage tags |
Serious consequences
Some thieves wipe out all the money in a victim's bank account or damage a consumer's credit so severely that they're unable to borrow money. Combating the fraud — filing out paperwork and reports, alerting credit agencies, explaining the situation to law enforcement — can also be extremely time–consuming and stressful.
Safeguard yourself
One of the easiest ways to protect against identity theft is to run every piece of paper containing your personal information through a shredder before throwing it in the recycling bin or the trash. Shredders — a common office machine — consist of intermeshing cutting blades, a paper comber, and a motor. Paper is hand–fed into the paper slot at the top of the machine, is cut into strips as it runs through the machine's rotating cutters, and comes out the bottom of the machine in tiny, illegible pieces.
Types
Shredders are classified in two ways: straight–cut and cross–cut. Straight–cut models are economical machines that cut paper lengthwise into long strips that are a quarter of an inch wide or less. The narrower the strip, the better the security. Straight–cut shredders are generally low–maintenance machines.
Cross–cut units shred documents lengthwise and widthwise, creating between 500 and 800 paper particles per sheet inserted, and therefore offering higher security than straight–cut types. Because a cross–cut model's output is more compact, you won't have to empty the shredder basket as frequently as you will when using a straight–cut machine. Be prepared to pay more for a cross–cut shredder, and realize that more maintenance, such as routine oiling of the cutting blades will be required.
Input volume
The number of pages that can be shredded at one time depends on the model, but most units can destroy at least five pages at once. The manufacturer will indicate how much a shredder can accept per shredding pass, and how many passes the machine can handle per day. A general rule of thumb is to purchase a shredder that will accept 25% more volume than you need. That way, you won't run the risk of jamming the shredder by putting through more than its recommended capacity and your machine will last longer.
Consider buying a shredder that will accept 25% more volume than you need — that way, you'll avoid jams and clogs.
Other features
- Attached bin: Some shredders are made to sit on top of a wastebasket, but others come with a basket to catch the paper confetti that's created. The bin capacity is usually measured in gallons. On certain models, when the shredder is removed from the basket, the safety interlock element kicks in and shuts off the motor.
- Auto reverse: This feature will allow you to clear jams easily, without having to pull the clogged paper out by hand.
- Accepts non–paper products: Higher–end shredders can accept plastic products, such as credit cards. Some units even can destroy audio and video cassettes, computer disks, and CDs. Be sure to read the manufacturer's package to determine the capacity and types of materials that can be shredded.
- Easy to recycle: Don't forget that confetti output from your shredder can be recycled, as long as it's all paper. Because shredders compact what you feed through them, your paper recyclables should be more manageable.
Safety first
Be careful when clearing a jam in your shredder. Make sure that the unit is unplugged before attempting to fix or maintain your machine. Also, find out what materials your shredder can accept — while most shredders can handle staples and windowed envelopes, it's always better to check first before sending a non–paper item through your machine and clogging it.
