Which Documents to Shred to Keep Your Identity Safe

What Documents Should You Shred?

• Address labels from junk mail and magazines.
• Bank statements and related receipts (including ATM slips)
• Birth certificate copies.
• Canceled and/or voided checks.
• Credit and debit card bills and receipts.
• Credit reports.
• Documents with names, addresses, phone numbers or e-mail addresses.

1. What can you shred to prevent identity theft?
2. What personal documents should be shredded?
3. Where can I securely shred documents?
4. Is it safe to shred documents?
5. What papers to save and what to throw away?
6. Should you shred mail with your name and address?
7. Do I really need to shred old bank statements?
8. How many years of bank statements should you keep?
9. Why is shredding not a good idea?
10. Is it safe to shred documents at UPS Store?
11. Can I shred my own documents at Staples?
12. Does Office Depot shred for free 2020?

What can you shred to prevent identity theft?

What document shredding should you do?

• Address labels from junk mail and magazines.
• ATM receipts.
• Bank statements.
• Birth certificate copies.
• Canceled and voided checks.
• Credit and charge card bills, carbon copies, summaries and receipts.
• Credit reports and histories.

What personal documents should be shredded?

After paying credit card or utility bills, shred them immediately. Also, shred sales receipts, unless related to warranties, taxes, or insurance.
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Lock securely:

• Birth certificates or adoption papers.
• Social Security cards.
• Citizenship papers or passports.
• Marriage or divorce decrees.
• Death certificates of family members.

Where can I securely shred documents?

Easy disposal of your documents with secure shredding services available nationwide. With shredding services available at The UPS Store locations nationwide, you can get rid of your personal and business documents using one of the leading document destruction vendors, Iron Mountain®.

Is it safe to shred documents?

Right now, they're probably ok. A group of people can eventually reconstruct shredded documents by hand if they work long enough, especially if the document in question is only torn into a few hundred pieces instead of a few thousand.

What papers to save and what to throw away?

Important papers to save forever include:

• Birth certificates.
• Social Security cards.
• Marriage certificates.
• Adoption papers.
• Death certificates.
• Passports.
• Wills and living wills.
• Powers of attorney.

Should you shred mail with your name and address?

Personal information is what identity thieves are after. Your date of birth and Social Security number are especially vulnerable. So shredding anything that contains that information is a good idea. Other information to be wary of is your full name, address, home or work telephone numbers, and driver's license number.

Do I really need to shred old bank statements?

According to the Federal Trade Commission, you should shred documents containing sensitive information, including bank statements, to protect yourself from identity theft.

How many years of bank statements should you keep?

Bank Statements

How long to keep: Three years. You'll need bank statements for up to three years if you are audited by the IRS. If your bank provides online statements, you can switch to receiving your bank documents online and cut down on paper.

Why is shredding not a good idea?

Paper shredders increase security risks. You shred your documents to prevent identity theft and maintain the confidentiality of your information. But your paper shredding machine doesn't offer the most secure method for completely destroying confidential information.

Is it safe to shred documents at UPS Store?

1 Answer. Secure Shredding at The UPS Store is a safe and convenient way to dispose of your personal and financial documents. The cost is only $1/lb with a 3 lb min. There is a price break for larger amounts of shredding.

Can I shred my own documents at Staples?

Staples is closest to us, so that's where we decided to go. According to their website, any Staples with a Copy & Print Location will offer shredding services. We called ahead and were told that they charge by the pound (79 cents/lb of paper).

Does Office Depot shred for free 2020?

Time to purge the paper and protect your privacy with free shredding services offered at all Office Depot and OfficeMax stores. Customers can bring in up to five pounds of documents to shred free of charge. No need to keep filing cabinets full of papers… ...