What to Bring to a Community Shred Event

Every two seconds someone’s identity is stolen.  One of the most secure ways to protect your
identity is to destroy documents by shredding them at a community shred event
or through a reputable shredding company.  On-site mobile shedding trucks are used and
the shredding is done right in front of you so you can witness your personal
documents being securely destroyed. Shred events offer communities a
convenient, cost-effective and safe method to dispose of their private
information and protect their identities.  

Identity Theft is On
the Rise

Nearly 60 million Americans have been affected by identity
theft, according to a 2018 online survey by The
Harris Poll.  That same survey
indicates nearly 15 million consumers experienced identity theft in 2017.

Sadly, even with this criminal activity on the rise, people
still discard their confidential documents in the garbage where dumpster divers
can easily steal them.   It is important to safeguard against these offenses
by securely destroying confidential documents by shredding them. 

What Documents Should You Shred?

1. Personal Information

Any information that identifies you personally.  This includes names and addresses, phone
numbers, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and driver’s license
numbers.  Also consider shredding old
checkbooks, ATM receipts, expired credit cards, state vehicle registration, and
healthcare claims. 

2. Taxes

Tax-related identity theft happens when someone uses your
stolen Social Security number to receive a fraudulent tax refund.    According to the IRS,
keep records for 3 years from the date you filed your original return
or 2 years from the date you paid the tax, whichever is later. Keep
records for 7 years if you file a claim for a loss from worthless
securities or bad debt deduction. 

3. Account Numbers

Your account numbers are at risk of identity fraud as
well.  Shred any documents such as
financial, insurance and credit card statements, user names, passwords are
prime targets for identity thieves.   

4. Travel Documents

Identity theft and other crimes are a growing problem for
travelers.  Many of your travel documents contain
personal information.  Boarding passes, for
example, have a barcode that contains your travel itinerary and frequent flyer
information.  Passports are also a
popular target, and millions are reported lost or stolen every year. So when
you are finished traveling or have old travel documents, make sure they get
shredded.

5. Junk Mail

Junk mail usually has a computer barcode on the front that can
contain your personal information. This includes pre-authorized credit card
offers, mail from insurance companies, and even associations or membership
organizations that may have access to your personal information.  Shred all of your junk mail, including the
return envelopes provided with it. 

Participating in community shred events or contacting a
trustworthy shredding company is a great way to protect your confidential
data.

Shark Shredding has had the honor to be chosen as the local
shredding company for many community shredding events. and to help raise
awareness of identity fraud .  They
provide on-site and off-site document shredding, hard drive destruction,
storage and scanning services throughout Chicagoland.

We also offers onsite Residential Shredding services at our Mokena, IL facility on select days.