Ready to Shred?

National Protect Your Identity Week Highlights Issue

October 23, 2009

Shredding—it’s all the rage.

From household advice column Hints from Heloise, which recently suggested “A good shredder is a wise investment,” to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling’s National Protect Your Identity Week Web site, which offered that “opting not to shred is an invitation for identity theft,” testaments are plentiful to the importance of proper document destruction. In communities like Bernards Township, New Jersey, local governments are even sponsoring the activity—according to mycentraljersey.com, members of 300 households excised their attics and basements of about nine tons of bills, credit card statements and more during the township’s first-ever “community shred day.”

OK, sold. You’re going to shred. Now what?

First-time shredders should be aware that shredders (the hardware) and not one-size-fits-all propositions. Should you invest in a “strip-cut” or “confetti” shredder? What about safety features? How much do you need to spend? For answers to these questions and more, the NFCC web site is instructive (indeed, one might not remember not all models are equipped to handle credit cards, for example).

Those looking to shred stuff on the cheap (or free) might want to check out this recent post by “Poorer Than You” blogger Stephanie. But even if you don’t score that freebie, as Consumerist points out, a shredder can be found for as cheap as $30.

What should you shred?

•    Bank and credit card statements, account numbers, Social Security numbers, unneeded tax and insurance information, those annoying unsolicited credit card offers—pretty much anything with account information or that could be useful to someone wishing to commit fraud.

•    In fact, shred everything that has your name and address on it, including statements and invoices you don't need to keep; all receipts; return address stickers; envelopes, catalogs; neighborhood association lists; and pre-approved credit offers.

•    Make sure that any shredding services you use at work take the same amount of care to destroy sensitive documents as you do.

•    And finally, take your trash out on the same morning that your removal services are scheduled to come. Don't give thieves time to go through your trash and find any personal information that may have escaped your shredder.

Use these and our many other tips to help keep your identity safer.