The implications of identity
theft aren’t lost on too many people in modern society. When you consider the multitude of
personal information that is floating around both electronically and in paper
files, the potential for criminal activity is staggering.
What Is Identity Theft?
When people hear the term
‘identity theft’, many envision someone assuming your identity and living their
life as you. In reality, identity
theft may consist of someone stealing your financial information and taking out
credit in your name, cleaning out your bank accounts or having a false driver’s
license or other documents made using your information.
Regardless of the details, if
your information is compromised and used by an ‘identity thief’ in any way, you
may be feeling the effects for some time to come. Naturally, it is in the best interest of businesses, banks,
schools and government offices to protect your sensitive data. They usually have several different
measures in place to keep your confidential information confidential, and paper
shredding is one of the most significant.
Importance of Paper
Shredding
Basically, paper shredding is
precisely what the name implies.
It is the shredding of sensitive paper documents that might cause
customers or clients to fall victim to identity theft. Paper shredding is important because
the longer that sensitive information lies around intact, the greater the
likelihood of it being compromised.
The implications to
individuals who have fallen victim to identity theft are pretty obvious, but
the organization that allowed it to happen will also suffer. The sheer volume of customers that
would leave and never return would be staggering. And in a world of social media, the news that a business
couldn’t protect a customer’s information would travel fast.
In most places, document
destruction is also a legal matter, which makes getting it done in a timely and
efficient manner even more important.
Common Mistake
What many businesses and
organizations don’t know is that purchasing a paper shredder and taking care of
it yourself is generally ineffective at deterring real identity thieves. Just like you are an expert at your
business, an identity thief is an expert at stealing sensitive information, and
while a pile of shredded paper may look secure to you, someone who knows what
he is doing can still piece it back together.
Shredding your own documents
is definitely more effective than doing nothing at all, but it will lead to a
false sense of security. The only
real way to prevent identity theft with paper shredding is to outsource it to a
company that is an expert in document destruction.
Expert Paper Shredding
Professional paper shredding
companies will actually come to your business and shred your documents on-site,
in such a way that they can never be put back together. You’ll also receive documentation from
the company detailing what has been shredded, so you can rest easy and worry
about other parts of the business.
Identity theft certainly
isn’t a pleasant part of the modern business world, but it is a realistic
part. That’s why it makes sense to
take it seriously and sign up for a professional paper shredding program that
will keep your business safe and the identity thieves on the outside looking
in.