Identity theft has been a problem over the years. However it used to be much more uncommon, and only really affected a few people. With the advancement of technology it has become much easier for criminals to steal your identity, and to obtain the personal information that will leave you vulnerable. The irony of this situation is that with all the technological advancements, the most used method to conduct identity theft is the most low-tech method known. All it involves is going through improperly discarded trash.
Personal Disposal
Most people still throw away the most sensitive personal information in their own rubbish. This information can be found on bills and monthly statements that are received in the mail. Sensitive information is also found on receipts that are discarded, and even on some junk mail.
Any piece of paper that contains personal information can potentially be used to conduct identity theft. That may sound a little extreme but it is unfortunately true. Even your address can be used in a way that you do not authorize. It is important to monitor what you are disposing of, and how you are disposing of it.
Shredding documents is not just for big businesses and corporations that are hiding company information, it is also for the home office. It is possible, and recommended to purchase home shredding machines, since just tearing your documents is often not sufficient, and criminals can still easily piece the document together like a puzzle and commit identity theft.
Public Disposal
When most people think of public disposal, they only consider how a business disposes of their private documents, and not the public rubbish disposal in the form of bins available around town. These bins pose huge risks for identity theft.
The main difference is that most businesses are aware of the responsibility that they have to properly keep and dispose of their client’s information. Not many people think about the public waste bin that they have just dumped their rubbish into. Criminals are free to rummage through the waste. In some places the rubbish becomes public property, free to anyone who wants to claim it before it is disposed of.
In this case you are practically handing a criminal your personal information. If you are disposing of your rubbish in a public receptacle it is important to be sure that it is secure and cannot be opened. This is of special concern to people that live in apartment complexes. With just a little low-tech effort you can beat this low-tech, yet high-risk crime of identity theft.
