THIS WEBSITE USES AFFILIATE LINKS WHICH MEANS WE RECEIVE COMPENSATION IF YOU PURCHASE A PRODUCT THROUGH THEM. VISIT OUR DISCLOSURE PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
Identity theft is a real threat and can be a nightmare if it ever happens to you. The first place to stop is the Federal Trade Commission's website. There you can find out if your identity has been stolen and what to do if it has.
In their archives is a list of the types of documents you should keep and what you should shred to protect your identity and prevent your personal information from getting in the wrong hands.
Every day, millions of pieces of mail are posted and delivered, and a good number of those have your personal or financial information in them. If this mail is put into the right hands, then the amount of trouble that can be caused is substantial. This is why investing in a shredder and making a conscious effort to file or shred any letters you get that may have information that could be used is vital.
There are many shredders available that can shred anything, from sheets of paper to thick card documents. The best shredder for home use is one that meets your needs. If you're only going to be shredding documents that are less than 6-10 pages thick at most, then a budget model will work just fine for you.
If you're part of a company, for example, that handles personal information, a more advanced shredder may be needed.
Documents with Financial Details
The first type of document you should be shredding is anything with financial information inside. Financial records may be targeted for fraud and to gain access to your finances.
Bank statements and any credit card statements should generally be filed away somewhere safe as you may need them for accounting and tax purposes. Only three years of these are typically required, so take the time to shred statements older than this.
Any voided or canceled checks should also be shredded along with purchase orders that have financial details on them.
Papers with Personal Information
Personal information, like your date of birth or social security number, is what scammers are looking for. Anything that has this information can be stolen and used to pretend to be you, so shred anything with this information on it.
Other information that can be used includes your address, telephone number, and driving ID number. Also, papers that can be used to provide ID should be protected, such as your passport.
Documents with Account Details
Another way people try to use your private information against you is online. This is through stealing usernames and passwords from online websites.
If you have any information on paper that may be sensitive such as the logins to your bank account, be sure to shred these to protect yourself. This may include things like bills and statements from the bank with login details.
If you can keep on top of these key types of documents, your chances of identity theft are significantly reduced.
Krystle Cook – the creator of Home Jobs by MOM – put her psychology degree on a shelf and dived into a pile of diapers and dishes instead. She is a wife and mother to two rambunctious boys, sweating it out in her Texas hometown. She loves cooking, DIY home projects, and family fun activities.
I am always so concerned about identity theft. In todays world I guess we need to be. Thank you so much for sharing this helpful information. God Bless
This is a great post. I have been the victim of identity theft, and to this day, I have no idea how anyone got my information. I am greatly relieved that Medicare at long last assigned us numbers that are NOT our SSNs… I used to loathe having to haul my card around to show at doctor visits. I also shred the order form inserts in catalogs I receive… often they feature a certain amount of pre-approved store credit, and before tossing the catalogs I don’t need in the recycling bag, I remove that order form with my name and address printed on it, as well as the portion of the label with my name, address, and codes for ordering. No point in handing someone a free pass to order items in my name! I have only a small shredder that takes 1-2 pages at a time, but it works for me.
I’m so sorry to hear you have been the victim of identity theft. I totally agree about Medicare and the old social security number method. What in the world were they thinking?
Identity theft is a real threat and can be a nightmare if it ever happens to you. The first place to stop is the Federal Trade Commission's website. There you can find out if your identity has been stolen and what to do if it has.
7 Cooking Skills To Master in 2020
I am always so concerned about identity theft. In todays world I guess we need to be. Thank you so much for sharing this helpful information. God Bless
Identity theft is definitely something we all need to think about
This is info everyone should know. For years I just tore things up in 2 or 3 pieces . Ilearned the hard way that is not good enough.
I’m sorry you had to learn the hard way but now at least you know the importance of shredding
This is a great post. I have been the victim of identity theft, and to this day, I have no idea how anyone got my information. I am greatly relieved that Medicare at long last assigned us numbers that are NOT our SSNs… I used to loathe having to haul my card around to show at doctor visits. I also shred the order form inserts in catalogs I receive… often they feature a certain amount of pre-approved store credit, and before tossing the catalogs I don’t need in the recycling bag, I remove that order form with my name and address printed on it, as well as the portion of the label with my name, address, and codes for ordering. No point in handing someone a free pass to order items in my name! I have only a small shredder that takes 1-2 pages at a time, but it works for me.
I’m so sorry to hear you have been the victim of identity theft. I totally agree about Medicare and the old social security number method. What in the world were they thinking?