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What Are You Throwing In the Trash?

Identity theft is a reality that we all must come to terms with.  How far some people are willing go to steal information might surprise you, from tampering with ATM machines all the way to “dumpster diving” (which is exactly what it sounds like).  Luckily there are many things you can do to minimize your risk of becoming a victim.

One of the best ways to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft is to pay attention to your everyday habits; what are you throwing in the trash?  Knowing what is and isn’t okay to go into the recycling bin is a great place to start when it comes to protecting your identity and your finances.

Some documents worth shredding may surprise you.  What may seem like an innocent ATM receipt could be a thief’s ticket to your bank accounts and other identifying information.  Aside from ATM receipts, other things you should seriously consider shredding include:

  • Used airline tickets and boarding passes
  • Resumes
  • Copies of birth certificate and expired ID cards
  • Veterinarian invoices (make sure to keep some medical record of your pet safe!)
  • Employee records and stubs
  • Expired or duplicate legal and insurance documents
  • Credit card offers and financial statements

There are of course other sensitive documents that you should be keeping, not just to recover identity if it is lost, but for other important legal and financial reasons.  Some documents you should be storing in safe locations include:

  • Cancelled cheques
  • Credit card statements
  • Receipts
  • Investment statements
  • Current insurance policies

Following these guidelines will make a significant improvement to your risk of identity theft.  The only things left to consider are how to safely store important documents and securely shred the rest.

Knight Archives provides safe and secure storage and shredding solutions.  We will store a wide variety of your old records along with any other documents taking up space in your home or office.  Don’t throw it out because you don’t have room for it; you could be putting your identity at risk if you do.

Here is a link to the Government of Ontario’s website (https://www.ontario.ca/page/how-avoid-or-recover-identity-theft) with more information on identity theft and what you can do if you suspect your identity has been stolen.

No matter your storage needs, we can help. Talk to us today today to learn more.

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