So, after you’ve decided which brand of paper shredder to buy, what type of shredder you need, and where to put it, you need to think about what you actually need to shred. Almost everything you receive in the mail will contain some sensitive information, and you’d be surprised how little information thieves need to steal your identity. Even something as seemingly innocent as a birthday card could give away your date of birth. So, with that in mind, here is a list of some items which you should consider shredding.
- Credit Card Applications / Statements – This is a no-brainer, if a thief gets hold of your credit card number, account number, and address, he is only a few steps away from becoming ‘you’, and spending thousands on your card from your account.
- Bank Statements / Letters – Mail from the bank always contains at the very least your account number and sort code, and when you open an account, make sure to shred your letter containing your new PIN number and log-in details, these are printed in the special ‘scratch-off’ areas for a reason.
- Utility Bills – When you open an account, one of the things the bank will ask for is a utility bill to prove your address. So what would happen if an identity thief was to get hold of one? He could claim he lived at your house, and if he had other information, say, your name and date of birth, he could potentially impersonate you.
- Expired Credit Cards – Some shredders have the capability to shred credit cards themselves, and if yours does, you should seriously consider shredding yours. Most people just cut their card into quarters, and while this may seem sufficient, it is extremely easy to piece back together and although the card may be useless in a shop, if it is not quite expired it could still be used to purchase goods online if the number is readable. Also, some shredders will even shred your old CDs and DVDs which may have sensitive data stored on them.
- Birthday Cards, Junk Mail – Even innocent items such as birthday cards and junk adverts may contain sensitive information such as your date of birth, home telephone number and full name. Thieves only need a small amount of information to apply for a credit card or a bank account in your name.
So remember, shred as much as possible, even the smallest details should be destroyed, preferably with a cross-cut or diamond-cut shredder as these make it much harder for the thief to piece the information back together. Invest in a paper shredder today, and don’t forget to use it, it could just save you your identity.
