Blog

7 Documents You Need to Shred Today

With the increase in identity theft these days, you will be putting yourself in great danger if you still dispose of documents with sensitive information in a trash can. This is because identity thieves even search through trash cans looking for documents containing information they can use to steal or cause harm to people.

The best way to dispose of documents containing sensitive information is through document shredding. So, whether you run a business or you are an employee, there are some documents that need to be shredded for your own security.

7 Documents You Need to Shred Today

If you want to have peace of mind that your information is safe and not vulnerable to identity theft, here are seven documents that you need to shred today.

Bank Statement

Bank statements are documents that have information that identity thefts need. You should shred any document containing your bank information as soon as you don’t need them again.

There is no need to keep bank documents that are over a year in your possession. Bank statements can be discarded after a year unless you need them to settle bills, payment disputes or support tax returns.

Tax Information

Now, it is recommended by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to keep tax returns and related documents for seven years. But if you know any of your tax records that are over seven years and not needed for any reason, they should be shredded.

Credit Card Statements and Utility Bills

Your credit card statements contain your spending habits, your account statement, and your personal information. Once you don’t need to reference any bills to your credit card statement, make sure the statement is destroyed.

Also, utility bills don’t only contain your utility bills and payment records; it also contains some personal information that can be used by identity thieves. Documents like this should be shredded for your own security.

Medical Records

Medical results from the hospital or lab contain information like your name, house address, and medical data, which can go public against your wish if they fall into the wrong hands. Once you discover that any medical record in your home is no longer useful, it should be destroyed.

Old or Expired IDs and Passports

Old or expired debit cards and passports should go in the shredder. Even if the card has expired and you have gotten a new one, you should shred the card because most new cards often have the same number as the new one.

With little details from your old debit card, identity thieves can easily use those details to hack your security code and get into your account.

Employee’s Data

As a business owner, it is your duty by law to protect the sensitive information of your employees. Any documents or hard drives that are in your office and not useful because the information has been digitized should be shredded.

Insurance Record

There are some insurance records that are very crucial and must be kept for future purposes. But if you have any related documents you know are not needed, they should be destroyed.

How Do You Shred Your Documents?

You do not need to buy a shredder as that might be very expensive for you or your business. With A1 DataShred, all it takes is one call, and we are on our way coming to pick up your documents for shredding.

We provide professional shredding services to homes and business owners in Boston, Massachusetts, Boston, and surrounding areas. We can come to your location and securely shred your confidential documents in your presence.

What happens to your shredded documents? We take them to a recycling factory, and your shredded documents are recycled into a new form of paper. With us, your confidential documents are securely destroyed completely.

 

If you are ready to start shredding, contact A1 Datashred today for a quote.

March 31, 2022