Many of us are still working from home or have begun to adjust to the complexities of working at an office during a pandemic.
Even though there is an added level of difficulty these days when going about day-to-day life, there is one thing that should remain consistent: shredding your documents.
This blog is going to serve as a reminder that document destruction is still important because there are still people out there who want to take advantage of vulnerable individuals. As such, we know that you have probably had to switch up your routine and document destruction may not be top of mind at this time, which is why we’re going to revisit some of the documents that should be shredded but are often thrown away.
1. The Mail You Throw Out
This one may surprise you. We often receive credit card offers or other forms of junk in the mail and think little of it, throwing it away without a second glance. Realistically, junk mail should be shredded due to the personal nature of it. It usually includes personal identifying information (PII) like your name, address, and a credit offer. Someone with malicious intent could take out a line of credit in your name and begin spending money. You should be shredding your junk mail. Alternatively, here in the United States, you can choose to opt-out of junk mail or pre-screened offers through the Federal Trade Commission’s unsolicited mail page.
2. Shipping Labels On Packaging
As we head into the holiday season, a lot of us will be ordering gifts online. When we receive a package in the mail, it’s understandable that we eagerly open it and throw away the packaging it came in. Before you do this, check to make sure you’re not throwing away any PII. On packing, sometimes you will find a plastic pouch with a receipt in it or an order form or confirmation. Before recycling the box, check to make sure none of these items are left in there.
3. Old Photos and IDs
If you’ve recently got your driver’s license renewed (or any IDs for that matter), don’t throw your outdated license in the trash. Identity thieves can use old IDs to take out a line of credit in your name. Even when you are going through old photos and you want to throw out duplicates, those should be shredded as well. When it comes to shredding your documents, you can never be too careful.
4. Dated Travel Documents
Even though many of us aren’t traveling much these days, perhaps you’ve kept old boarding passes or travel itineraries as a means of holding on to the memories associated with the trip. If you decide to throw these away in the future for any reason, make sure you shred them properly. Travel itineraries and boarding passes can contain personal information, or at the very least, can help fraudsters verify where you’ve been and when they are trying to steal your identity.
Stay Safe With Physical Document Destruction
Safeshred has helped thousands of businesses and people shred their confidential documents. To find out more about our secure shredding services, give us a call or send us a message online.
