What Documents You Should be Shredding
You know all those pre-approved credit card applications you get in the mail? How about your credit card and bank account statements? All of these and many other documents could potentially put you at serious risk for identity theft. It’s a crime that continues to be on the rise, but is mostly avoidable by taking caution with your personal documents. One of the primary methods for stealing one’s identity is by stealing their mail or digging through their garbage to find sensitive information. An identity thief can open a credit card in your name or empty a bank account with this information, so it’s up to you to be vigilant in making sure your documents stay private. Here’s a list of the important documents you need to be shredding or destroying:
What Documents You Should be Shredding
- Cancelled checks
- Tax documents such as your W-2
- Financial records
- Legal documents that contain sensitive information
- If you run your own business, payroll records and inventory information should always be properly destroyed
- CD’s, DVD’s, disks, or anything else that can hold information
- Medical records
- Insurance cards or documents if you switch providers
- Receipts or order information after you no longer need them
- Credit cards you no longer want or use
- Identification cards, even if they’ve expired
- Pre-approved credit cards and other junk mail
- Account records
