The Importance of Shredding Documents

When it comes to identity theft protection, one of the most efficient ways to protect yourself and your family is to invest in a paper shredder. With this, you can destroy unnecessary documents before discarding them.

Whether they are work-related or private, it is crucial to the safety of your identity to keep any information on financial, legal, or other documents from being stolen.

5 Reasons You Should Shred

The truth is, shredding is beneficial in more ways than one:

1. Prevents identity theft – Criminals will go through waste bins to locate personal information they can use to steal from you.
2. Saves storage space – Unneeded papers can clutter a space where other important documents reside. 
3. Preserves mother nature – Paper that is shredded and recycled is typically used to create more paper, AND serves as a good composting material.
4. Law compliance – By law, sensitive documents within a workplace must be shredded to protect client or employee confidentiality.
5. Reduces the risk of a fire – Having a lot of paper lingering can be a fire hazard.

Documents to Shred

If you want to get specific, examples of documents with sensitive information can include:

• Tax returns
• Bank statements
• Voided checks
• Pay stubs
• Credit card statements
• Records of employment
• Insurance notices
• Medical documents

Identity Theft Protection from IAM Member Resources

If you haven’t already, you can sign up for the free identity theft benefit provided through your IAM Legal and Personal Protection plan. Among other identity theft protection services, this benefit provides:

• Identity monitoring 
• Social Security monitoring 
• Debit or credit card monitoring 
• Identity theft restoration 
• Lost or stolen credit card assistance 
• And more 

Get more information and sign up by calling 646-921-9128 or tap below to fill out a form.