$51,000 Taken Away: The Facts of Identity Theft & How Secure Paper Shredding Can Protect You! 

 From the Naples Herald:

A man was arrested by Police in Fort Myers who was believed to be responsible for over 100 cases of identity theft. The suspect was pulled over for a routine traffic stop, but officers discovered $51,000 in money orders, ledgers and personal identification details inside the vehicle. The suspect was charged with many instances of fraud, among others.

The story notes that the thief appeared to have stolen ledgers containing personal information and money orders. Whether the money orders were expired or not wasn’t specified in the report, nor was how the suspect obtained the documents. However it highlights the importance of how secure paper shredding can keep you protected through ensuring that these documents are safely destroyed and disposed of. It is very possible that these documents could have been retrieved from dumpster diving initiatives, or even right off desks in offices.

PROSHRED® has recognized the unfortunate reality that identity theft has become a common occurrence today and that is why it is a top priority to choose a shredding company that guarantees secure paper shredding. Identity theft is so common in fact that it has gone beyond the scope of local and national news due to the high frequency at which it occurs.

The National Criminal Justice Reference Service has put together some facts on identity theft in the United States, and some of the facts might alarm you:

• Government documents/benefits fraud is the most common source of identity theft, at 34% of cases. This is followed by credit card fraud (17%), phone or utilities (14%), and bank fraud (8%).

• 86% of identity theft victims experienced fraudulent use of existing accounts and bank information.

• In 2010, 8.6 million households had at least one member aged 12 or older who experienced one or more types of identity theft victimization.

Identity theft occurs every 2 seconds in the United States, and most commonly identity theft occurs in the medical sector. You might be wondering given these startling facts, “what can I do to protect myself?” Luckily there are many things to can do to protect your identity when choosing a shredding company that will provide secure paper shredding:

• Secure your smart phone. Smart phones contain an incredible amount of power and personal information. Depending on what is on your phone and what services / products you use, a stolen smart phone could equate to a stolen vehicle, house, stolen bank accounts and personal information. Use a password lock and make sure your phone is set to automatically lock after a period of time in which it isn’t used.

• Pay attention to what you post on social media. Thieves can obtain high amounts of personal information from social media profiles if posted, and if security settings are not properly set on your profile. This is a simple outlet to gain information on people who aren’t familiar with the vulnerabilities.

• Shred your documents. Shredding old and expired documents is one of the safest and most secure ways to protect identities, bank account details, and other personal activities. Whether at home or at work, shredding your sensitive documents is one of the safest bets you can make to lower your chances of becoming an identity theft victim.

PROSHRED® Miami is always ready to help you create a document shredding solution that fits your needs and fulfills your goals. If you are wondering what options are available to you contact us today to speak to our NAID certified professionals. Call 1-305-306-9558