According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, a non-profit organization primarily funded by the Department of Justice, over 10 million people had their identities stolen last year.
In other words, you have about a 1 in 10 chance EVERY year of getting your identity stolen. What does it take to fix an identity theft problem? It will cost you an average of $550.39 in out-of-pocket expenses, it will take you an average of 116 hours and up to 12 months to repair the damage.
The easiest thing to do is to prevent identity theft from happening in the first place. There are a few easy steps you can take to protect yourself and your family.
Start by investing in a good cross cut personal paper shredder for your home. Be sure that it is “Cross Cut” and preferably one that has jam-free rollers or auto reverse and a safety guard if you have children in your home. Shred every paper document that has your personal information on it (except the documents that you want to keep of course), including all of the credit card applications you get in the mail. 68% of identity theft happens as a result of documents being stolen from recycle and trash bins.
If you have a son or daughter away at college, consider getting them a paper shredder as well. There are a growing number of college students getting their identities stolen, in part because they rarely shred documents containing their personal information. The damage is often greater because it takes them longer to figure out that their identity has been stolen.
If you are cleaning out your files and have a significant amount of papers in your home that need to be shredded, take them to a drop off site in your area. At most drop-off sites they will shred your papers as you watch. They use commercial grade shredders that accept staples, credit cards, paper clips and sometimes even full binders. On average you can have a bankers box of papers shredded for between $5-$15. There are several companies across the US that offer this service. Sometimes banks will offer the service free of charge to their customers once or twice a year.
You could also have a 50-100 gallon locked bin delivered to your home. You fill it with all of your documents to be shredded and the company picks it up and gives you a certificate of destruction. This service varies by company and usually costs between $60-$100. Be sure you choose a company that is certified.
What to do with your shredded paper at home? You could drop it off at your local Humane Society. They use it to make soft animal beds. Or you could use it to pack and ship items, compost it or just toss it in your recycling bin.
Keep your personal information safe and you will be significantly less likely to become a victim of identity theft.
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By: Heidi DeCoux
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Professional Organizer Heidi DeCoux specializes in Home Organization and recommends the Personal Paper Shredders at ShredYourPapers.
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