Spin off: Shredding personal info before trashing

[Liberty Belle]

I saw on the other thread that many of you shred personal info before you put it in the trash. I usually do things that have social security numbers or other important info, but my MIL shreds anything with her name and address.

Why? I mean, it's easy to look up someone's name and address in phone books and online, what's the point of shredding it and what could they do with it?

 

[sunnyday123]

I don't shred. I am almost certain if someone stole my identity they'd give it back within 10 minutes. There are days I wish someone would steal it!!


Seriously though, I don't shred.

 

[Uncle Remus]

I saw on the other thread that many of you shred personal info before you put it in the trash. I usually do things that have social security numbers or other important info, but my MIL shreds anything with her name and address.

Why? I mean, it's easy to look up someone's name and address in phone books and online, what's the point of shredding it and what could they do with it?

I know some folks who don't like to pay their trash bill, they try to sneak their trash in with some of the neighbors' trash, they've had their trash returned to them coz they threw away their mail in that trash.

 

[fhtpdw20]

It could be used as proof of address for like registering for a school or something where you had to prove your residence (usually a utility bill). I shred everything. The way things are linked now a days, it is hard to say what innocent piece of information could unlock virtual windows into your world.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I know some folks who don't like to pay their trash bill, they try to sneak their trash in with some of the neighbors' trash, they've had their trash returned to them coz they threw away their mail in that trash.

Seriously?

 

[Liberty Belle]

It could be used as proof of address for like registering for a school or something where you had to prove your residence (usually a utility bill). I shred everything. The way things are linked now a days, it is hard to say what innocent piece of information could unlock virtual windows into your world.

But wouldn't it have to have your name on it, too, then? Or wouldn't you have to have a fake ID to go along with it? Seems like a lot of trouble.

 

[twinglesmome]

I saw on the other thread that many of you shred personal info before you put it in the trash. I usually do things that have social security numbers or other important info, but my MIL shreds anything with her name and address.

Why? I mean, it's easy to look up someone's name and address in phone books and online, what's the point of shredding it and what could they do with it?

If it is something like a catalog or magazine, there is often a customer number/code somewhere on there as well. In that case, I usually just shred the pages with personal information on them. The rest of it goes in the recycle bin.

 

[Uncle Remus]

Seriously?

Oh yeah, none of the neighbors like those folks.

I got a li'l trick I do with each one of my trash bags, I clean out the litterbox with every bag that goes out.

 

[DVC-Don]

I shred anything with a name, address or account number on it.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I shred pretty much anything that has any identifiable information about me. It's more just of out convenience. If I see my name, account number, etc, it goes in the shredder.

 

[Kath2003]

We shred anything with our name or address on it. It takes two seconds. And no, we do not have our phone number listed and are careful to whom we give our address.

Can't get out of the "trash bill" in the UK; it's billed per household whether you put any trash out or not.

 

[Disney Doll]

I shred anything with SS# or account # on it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I will shred things that someone might use to "borrow" an identity.

That includes credit card aps, those blessed checks they send for existing cards, tax documents, and things with an account number. Run of the mill stuff with just name and address, no biggy.

But anything with an account number, I will toss in the shred pile. That includes utility bills and medical bills.

 

[clh2]

We shred anything credit card offers, both new and the "convenience" check for our existing CC's.

 

[njmom47]

I shred just about everything that I don't want/use that comes in the mail.

 

[bdcp]

We shred everything with any personal info and that includes name and address also. All mail with our names and address. The only mail that gets tossed is unaddressed bulk mail or "resident" mail. For anyone who thinks it's not a big deal to toss that stuff in the trash, you're wrong. DH was a reserve naval officer and his last command involved IP/IT and their training involved what people will steal and use. They were taught to shred everything. Anything with your name and address needs to be shredded just as much as anything with account #'s and ssn's. I also work in a field where I have access to ssn's of many people as well as other personal info and we are also taught to shred everything.

People do go through trash. You absolutely do not want your identity stolen. It's a nightmare and can cost you future employment (and current in some cases) as well as access to credit. It's too easy to shred. Too big a risk not too. Identity theft can cost you the ability to travel freely (think TSA) also.

 

[SandrA9810]

My aunt has box upon box of papers that need to be "shredded". She'll spend an entire afternoon going through magazines and taking out any order inserts and ripping her name and address off.

I only shred stuff that has an account number or personal info on it.

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

I started sorting the pieces to recycle, trash (window envelopes) and anything with an account number, personal info or an application goes into a large copy paper box. It's about half full and I still have half of the shredding canstill to be sorted, not to mention the files that need to be cleaned out.

I want to take the whole box to a large shredder and have it done all at once. I have a shredder, and for the longest time all I did was toss envelopes of mail to shred in the can WITHOUT SHREDDING THEM!! I think it's because the shredded is supposed to handle about 6 sheets, but it barely cuts through 2 sometimes, and I'm not going to shred one at a time, unless I get the pile completely shredded and start again from scratch.

 

[Cat0727]

I shred everything and anything that has my name and address on it. People go through trash in my building; I've seen them half in the recycling bin at 2 in the morning.

 

[tvguy]

Not sure how much it helps. 3 people I know that have been victims of ID theft just had people apply for credit with their Social Security number that apparently was randomly picked. The credit apps had fake names, and the people issuing the credit didn't notice the name didn't match the social security number.