SELECTSHRED | SHREDDING IN STUART SHREDDING IN PALM CITY – 10 NEW YEAR’S SHREDDING RESOLUTIONS

This is usually a time for reflection on needed changes and to make resolutions to follow through on those changes as we review the past and look forward to the New Year. The following are some shredding resolutions to consider:

I RESOLVE TO:

1. Stop procrastinating and shred all of the confidential documents I no longer need to keep.

2. Exercise more care in knowing when, where, and how my confidential documents are destroyed.

3. Lose the weight from all the pounds of paper that I know should be shredded immediately.

4. Commit to safeguarding the confidential information in my custody by using a shredding service.

5. Learn more about the federal regulations, such as FACTA, GLBA, and HIPAA, which govern my industry.

6. Stop worrying about tomorrow and shred today to make sure I fight identity theft and protect myself.

7. Get organized and reduce clutter by clearing the file cabinets and getting the boxes out of storage and shred.

8. Create peace of mind from knowing that my sensitive information has been shredded and will not get into the wrong hands.

9. Preserve the environment by keeping all paper, confidential or otherwise, out of the trash and landfill by shredding all paper first, knowing that it will be recycled.

10. Use a NAID AAA certified mobile shredding company to destroy my confidential documents in my presence.

Happy new year to all our friends and neighbors in Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie, Stuart, Palm City, Jensen Beach, Hobe Sound, Port Salerno, Sewall’s Point, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Jupiter Island, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Okeechobee, and Vero Beach.

Richard Kinkead & Gloria Kinkead 

SelectShred, Inc.

T: (772) 463-3166

info@selectshred.com

SELECTSHRED | DO YOU REALLY NEED A CERTIFICATE OF DESTRUCTION?

“I don’t need your certificate of destruction because I can do my own shredding.” This statement is usually delivered smugly on the phone or in person. However, when you or your business has been legally charged with safeguarding the confidential information in your custody, the statement “get it in writing” is quite meaningful and not having it in writing is quite costly. When a NAID AAA certified company shreds for you, you are getting it in writing at your location when the shredding job has been completed. The certificate of destruction is your legal record from a third party vendor. It is documentation that you have done everything you could do to safeguard your sensitive information.

No law enforcement agency is going to fine you or jail you because of an alleged data breach. Investigations must happen and when you can point your finger to the agreement or contract with a shredding company and produce your certificates of destruction, you have certainly displayed the level of responsibility that your customers or clients deserve. You have made yourself and your organization shine because you took the initiative to have a document security program in place. If you are the owner or CEO, your employees appreciate that you did not place them in a situation where they have to defend themselves because there is a security breach that they probably should have prevented, and for which you might try to hold them accountable, but they did not have the authority to put the service in place to protect customers/clients, themselves, officers, and the company.

Don’t write off that piece of paper as just another piece of paper that you don’t need. When you outsource your shredding, it is more secure and less expensive that shredding it yourself. Whatever federal regulation governs your industry, FACTA (credit report information), HIPAA (healthcare) and GLBA (financial), shredding will meet the necessary compliance and the certificate of destruction is your legal document to show that your records were transferred to the custody of your shredding service and have been properly destroyed.

Richard & Gloria Kinkead

SelectShred, Inc.

T: (772) 463-3166

info@selectshred.com

SELECTSHRED | FREE SHRED EVENTS

Free shred events serve as great public service opportunities to promote the awareness of identity theft and actions that can be taken to prevent identity thieves from ruining our lives. Any opportunity that increases public awareness and creates a call to action is a good thing. Individuals have become more protective of their personal information and, due to media reports, are taking responsibility for making sure that their confidential documents do not get into the wrong hands.

Law enforcement agencies and the media are making an impact as they promote shred events, increase public awareness of identity theft, and encourage shredding of personal documents. Residential customers do not only want their information shredded but they insist that it is shredded in their presence. For residential customers, their objective is to prevent identity theft and have peace of mind knowing that their sensitive information is securely destroyed.

The stakes are higher for businesses because they are legally responsible for safeguarding the confidential information in their possession. Businesses need the legal protection that an on-site shredding company can provide. They need a certificate of destruction for their records. They need to destroy in a timely manner records that are no longer legally required to be kept – the longer you keep those records, the more your liability increases. Businesses need to worry about productivity and cost savings. Are you really saving money by using your employees’ valuable time to shred?  How about eliminating the worry of having your proprietary information compromised? That is another good reason to use a shredding service – don’t leave your intellectual property vulnerable by keeping it around for longer than you have to or risk having it end up in the trash and consequently in the wrong hands.

So beyond the free shred event or until the next free shred event, find a NAID AAA certified company with a state-of-the-art mobile shred truck with video monitoring that will allow you to witness the destruction of your confidential documents. There is always that extra measure of security when you make sure that your confidential documents are shredded in your presence or at your location. Know when, where, and how your confidential information is destroyed. Many people are no longer comfortable with just dropping off their documents at facilities to be shredded at a later date, or with having their documents taken away to be shredded at an unknown location.

http://www.myfloridacfo.com/PressOffice/Newsletter/2013/120613/December_0613.aspx#1

Richard & Gloria Kinkead 

SelectShred, Inc.

T: (772) 463-3166

info@selectshred.com

SELECTSHRED NEWS | NOVEMBER 2013|SHREDDING IN NORTH PALM BEACH SHREDDING IN JUPITER SHREDDING IN PALM BEACH GARDENS SHREDDING IN PORT ST LUCIE SHREDDING IN FORT PIERCE

EVALUATE AND RECOGNIZE NEW WAYS OF THINKING REGARDING YOUR DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION NEEDS AND SHREDDING PROGRAM

This is the time of year to reflect on what was done and how it can be done better  by evaluating the quality and cost of your document destruction service. The following are three things to consider with regard to a shredding service:

1. Do I need a shredding service? You should have a third party shredding vendor in place as part of a sound document security program. Office shredders do not provide adequate legal protection in the event of an information security breach. Also, no office is too small or too paperless to have a shredding service.

2. Do I know what my current shredding service offers? It’s not always about the lowest price. You should know how your confidential information was destroyed; know where it was destroyed; know who destroyed it; and know when it was destroyed. You should know that the legal chain of custody is not broken because your confidential information is destroyed at your location.

3. Am I doing all I can do to safeguard the confidential information in my custody? You have fulfilled your obligations to protect the confidential information in your custody from its proper retention to its responsible destruction by using a NAID AAA certified company. This will keep you  in compliance with federal regulations such as FACTA, GLBA, and HIPAA by having a secure document destruction program in place, including receiving a certificate of destruction for your record.

Lack of compliance with federal regulations such as FACTA, GLBA, and HIPAA can result in persons or organizations facing criminal penalties, civil liabilities, and fines for information security breaches. For example, healthcare facilities can face HIPAA fines of $100 per violation and up to a maximum of $1.5 million. For persons, criminal penalties are also possible up to $50,000 and one year in prison for obtaining or disclosing protected health information.

  DID YOU KNOW?  A reputable shredding service can cost as low as 50 cents to $1.50 per day and service can be customized to fit your needs on a monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly schedule for recurring service.

SELECTSHRED | IMPORTANT REASONS FOR DOCUMENT SHREDDING

The media, politicians, experts, and professionals are all saying it — Florida’s economy is growing and getting stronger. What that means is that no matter how insistent you are that your office, profession, or industry is paperless, the truth is that you will be generating a lot of paper.

Realtors, appraisers, lawyers, accountants, doctors, engineers, etc. are all busy. They are surrounded by paper. Desks are full of paper, boxes are on the floor, and boxes are in storage. They are scanning to digitize information but that scanned paper must still be secured, destroyed, and disposed of promptly and responsibly. http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/09/17/3633412/south-florida-economy-growing.html

Instead of holding your old files until there is no space left in the office or storage, consider shredding your sensitive information promptly. Here are three good reasons why you should shred — the law and liability, your customers, and your reputation.

Federal laws and regulations require you to protect confidential information even when you no longer need it. FACTA for credit report information, HIPAA for healthcare information, and GLBA for financial information require shredding of sensitive documents to meet compliance. Otherwise, you might face daunting fines.

Customers, clients, and patients must have their information protected from identity theft and their privacy should be also protected. Collecting customer, client, and patient data brings with it the responsibility to protect that data from its collection and retention until it is no longer needed.

Your reputation is priceless. Therefore, shredding your sensitive information not only meets compliance with federal laws and protect your customers, clients, and patients, it protects you from data breaches, protects you from dumpster divers (who are not only looking for customer data but could also be looking for your trade secrets) and reporters looking for a story about your business.

From Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie, Stuart, Palm City, Jensen Beach, Rio, Hobe Sound, Port Salerno, Sewall’s Point, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Jupiter Island, West Palm Beach, and Palm Beach Gardens — there is nothing casual about discarding confidential information. If you want to avoid fines, protect your customers, protect your reputation, and protect your proprietary information…you must shred.

Richard & Gloria Kinkead

SelectShred, Inc.

T: (772) 463-3166

info@selectshred.com

SELECTSHRED | SHREDDING IN STUART SHREDDING IN PALM CITY

SELECTSHRED — FIVE COMMON UNFOUNDED OBJECTIONS TO USING A SHREDDING SERVICE

Throughout the Treasure Coast and the Palm Beaches, there are five common but unfounded objections that are repeated quite frequently.

1. We Are Paperless. Are you really paperless? Just look around your own office. There is paper on your desks. Boxes of paper are in the office or in storage. The promise of a paperless world has been around for decades but it is not here yet. Lawyers, accountants, doctors, engineers, realtors, appraisers, etc. — you are still producing more paper than ever. If the paper has confidential information, there are federal regulations (FACTA/HIPAA/GLBA) that require you to safeguard, destroy, and discard responsibly all the confidential information in your custody. Even paper that you don’t consider as confidential should be shredded first and then recycled. Help the environment by keeping paper out of the landfills. All shredded paper is recycled into new paper products. If you are regularly scanning your confidential documents, those documents should be secured and shredded as soon as possible by a NAID AAA certified shredding company. http://www.attorneyatwork.com/step-right-up-to-the-paperless-law-office/

2. We Use Office Shredders. What can we say about this objection? At least you are shredding. However, the office shredder can never afford you the required legal documentation to show that you have a proper document security program in place and legal protection in case of an alleged or actual information security breach. What works is the regular use of a shredding service and receiving a certificate of destruction. Also, shredded materials from your office shredder so neatly put in plastic bags and placed in the trash have all the information you need to protect in a neat bundle waiting for the dumpster divers. A dumpster diver is not just someone looking for credit card data, etc., but it could be your competitor in search of your proprietary information or a reporter looking for the next big story.

3. We Don’t Shred Much. Here is where you are missing the big picture. A shredding service can be customized to fit your needs whether you accumulate large quantities of confidential documents in one month or in a few months. The importance of using a shredding service is that you have a system in place to safeguard your confidential documents and a system that can identify red flags, deter identity theft, protect your company from unnecessary legal action, and avoid fines. Also, don’t think that you need to fill a shred truck to effectively use a shredding service.

4. We Are A Small Office. No office is too small to have a shredding service because no office is too small to have an information security breach. No office is too small to be fined for not complying with federal regulations. No office is too small to suffer from the consequences of lost reputation. Even if it is only an alleged data breach, you could face severe fines because you have no record (certificate of destruction from a reputable shredding company) to show that you did all you could do to protect the confidential information in your custody.

5. We Can’t Afford A Shredding Service. Don’t dismiss the idea of a shredding service due to costs because you have to watch the budget. What you really can’t afford is federal fines, liability, lost productivity, and lost reputation. Besides, a shredding service is less costly than employees’ time spent shredding.

From Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie, Stuart, Palm City, Jensen Beach, Rio, Hobe Sound, Port Salerno, Sewall’s Point, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Jupiter Island, West Palm Beach, and Palm Beach Gardens, change your attitude and protect your assets — your confidential information from retention to disposal is not trash — it’s as important as any other asset in your office.

Richard & Gloria Kinkead

SelectShred, Inc.

T: (772) 463-3166

info@selectshred.com

SELECTSHRED | PAPER SHREDDING SERVICE IN PALM BEACH AND THE TREASURE COAST

SELECTSHRED—WHAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER WHEN BURNING CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS

All across the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach—from Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie, Stuart, Palm City, Jensen Beach, Rio, Hobe Sound, Port Salerno, Sewall’s Point, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Jupiter Island, West Palm Beach, and Palm Beach Gardens—people have said “we burn our confidential documents.” To name a few, lawyers, doctors, realtors and real estate appraisers have said it. They say that they don’t shred much and try to make an event of burning their sensitive information as they sit by the fireplace with a glass of wine or have a bonfire in the yard.

Thankfully, we have encountered those who have tried this practice of document destruction and finally gave up and sought the help of a shredding service. They have realized that with burning, part of the paper is not burned—leaving white paper with legible print, and part of the paper is scorched—leaving darkened paper with legible print. For the process to be complete, everything must be reduced to ashes. That’s right, burn and burn again…and again. Do you really have that much time or do you ever want to have that much time on your hands?

Burning, like the office shredder, is time-consuming and inefficient. Although burning is considered as an acceptable form of document destruction, does it really afford you the legal protection that you would need in the event of an alleged information security breach? Does the solo burn event or group burn event with friends and family provide you with a Certificate of Destruction for your record? Some would have you believe that a shredding company is too expensive for getting rid of confidential documents on a regular or one-time basis. However, a NAID AAA certified company provides a secure, economical and convenient service that provides you with the necessary compliance for federal regulations such as HIPAA, FACTA, and GLBA.

Before you contemplate your next burn event, call your local shredding service and see how efficiently and effectively this service can do the job. Let’s think division of labor—you generate the paper and let the professionals shred it. Instead, you can have that wine beside the fireplace or the fire pit in the yard to celebrate that your sensitive information is all gone and you have proof (Certificate of Destruction). You are also helping the environment because all of your shredded material will be recycled to be reused in the form of new paper products.

As we like to say—Protecting People and Preserving the Environment—think about that before you start your next fire. Reach out to your local shredding company and find out how easy it can make the document destruction process for commercial and residential customers.

Richard & Gloria Kinkead

SelectShred, Inc.

T: (772) 463-3166

info@selectshred.com

SELECTSHRED | SHREDDING IN STUART SHREDDING IN PALM CITY

SELECTSHRED-WHAT WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT MEDICAL IDENTITY THEFT

The raw numbers are staggering, as reported by the Ponemom Institute, that an estimated 1.84 million victims in the U.S. are affected by medical identity theft and that out-of-pocket medical costs incurred by medical identity theft victims are more than $12 billion. However, the consequences of medical identity theft are not only an inconvenience of money, time, and effort. The Ponemon Institute said that when personal medical records are compromised, it can result in misdiagnoses, wrong treatments or wrong prescriptions. These inaccurate medical records are all difficult to correct and threaten lives. It is also suggested that we become victims of medical identity theft by sharing personal health records with family members or friends or that these same individuals take this information without consent.  http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/medical-identity-theft-numbers-grow

Medical identity theft is about more than the hassle of time and cost to fix a credit report and get our lives back because our identity was stolen. The inaccurate information in our medical records can cost our lives. We are urged to check the explanation of benefits and report any unfamiliar claims.  We already know that we should never throw any medical records in the trash where dumpster divers can take the information for criminal use of our sensitive information. It is always prudent to shred any documents with our names, addresses, social security numbers, and health insurance numbers as well as all confidential information that can be misused in the wrong hands.

For all of us that are concerned about our safety and security, from Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie, Stuart, Palm City, Jensen Beach, Rio, Hobe Sound, Port Salerno, Sewall’s Point, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Jupiter Island, West Palm Beach, and Palm Beach Gardens, remember that we should never think twice about properly shredding and discarding our confidential documents because the risks are too great not to do so. Not only is a good credit history at risk but our own lives are at risk when medical identity theft is involved.

Richard & Gloria Kinkead

SelectShred, Inc.

T: (772) 463-3166

info@selectshred.com

MOBILE SHREDDING COMPANY SERVING Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast, including from North Palm Beach to Fort Pierce

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WHY SMALL MEDICAL FACILITIES SHOULD EVALUATE THEIR document destruction program and SHREDDING POLICIES

Unfortunately, many small medical offices, including dentists’ offices, believe they are too small to use a shredding service and that the office shredder will suffice. Due to the awareness of identity theft, concerned citizens are reporting directly to law enforcement whenever they see medical records in the trash. On the other hand, the criminal-minded sees the opportunity that can come from having access to names, addresses, birthdates, diagnoses, and social security numbers.

A Federal Trade Commission (FTC) report on medical identity theft stated that a thief may use patient names or health insurance numbers to see a doctor, get prescription drugs, file claims with insurance providers, or get other care. The FTC also said that if the thief’s health information is mixed with a patient’s information, the patient’s treatment, insurance and payment records, and credit report may be affected.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services requires that medical staff be trained in confidential handling and destruction of patient information. All major healthcare centers, hospitals, outpatient facilities, insurance groups, and pharmacies must show compliance with HIPAA federal regulations.

A third party shredding service provides legal protection and proof of HIPAA compliance. Facilities with properly trained staff, a document destruction program in place, and a recurring shredding service are in the best position to combat medical identity theft, stop medical data breach, prevent HIPAA violations, and protect themselves from crippling penalties.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) can impose penalties of $100 per violation and up to an annual maximum of $1.5 million. Criminal penalties can be up to $50,000 and one year in prison for obtaining or disclosing protected health information (PHI).

 DID YOU KNOW? The 2013 Survey on Medical Identity Theft conducted by Ponemon Institute  estimated that medical identity theft affects 1.84 million people in the U.S. and that healthcare organizations are just starting to recognize that medical identity theft is not just a patient problem but it is also a problem for healthcare organizations.

http://healthitsecurity.com/2013/09/17/how-can-healthcare-providers-prevent-medical-identity-fraud/

SELECTSHRED | MOBILE SHREDDING COMPANY SERVICING PALM BEACH AND THE TREASURE COAST

SELECTSHRED-MEDICAL FACILITIES SHOULD THINK TWICE ABOUT DISCARDING WHOLE OR SHREDDED MEDICAL RECORDS IN TRASH BINS OR RECYCLE BINS

It is hard to believe with all the media attention and heightened awareness that medical facilities would still put patient information in whole or shredded form in the trash or recycle bin where it can be seen and accessed by the wrong hands. Just because you have been doing it that way for many years (shredding in-house or recycling) and nothing bad has happened does not mean it won’t happen. A medical office manager said that she did not believe in dumpster divers because who would have that much time on their hands, but some people do have the time if they think the rewards will be great enough. Some medical personnel think they are doing a good deed to have a friend, family member, or student shred patient confidential information but the risks are too great for your facility if an information security breach were ever alleged and you do not have documentation on record such as a certificate of destruction. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) can impose penalties of $100 per violation and up to an annual maximum of $1.5 million. Facilities are more likely to face fines and penalties if a HIPAA compliant program is not in place. The routine use of a NAID AAA certified on-site shredding company to destroy patients’ confidential information is an added layer of HIPAA compliance.

Unfortunately, many small medical offices, including dentists’ offices, believe they are too small to use a shredding service and that the office shredder will suffice. Due to the awareness of identity theft, concerned citizens are reporting directly to law enforcement whenever they see medical records in the trash.

http://www.gazettetimes.com/news/local/samaritan-deems-medical-records-found-in-recycle-bin-an-isolated/article_7f58f2e2-f96f-11e2-85a3-001a4bcf887a.html

On the other hand, the criminal-minded sees the opportunity that can come from having access to names, addresses, birthdates, diagnoses, and social security numbers. A Federal Trade Commission (FTC) report on medical identity theft stated that a thief may use patient names or health insurance numbers to see a doctor, get prescription drugs, file claims with insurance providers, or get other care. The FTC also said that if the thief’s health information is mixed with a patient’s information, the patient’s treatment, insurance and payment records, and credit report may be affected.

For all the various types of medical facilities from, Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie, Stuart, Palm City, Jensen Beach, Rio, Hobe Sound, Port Salerno, Sewall’s Point, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Jupiter Island, West Palm Beach, and Palm Beach Gardens, remember that no facility is too small to use a third party vendor to destroy its confidential documents because the risks are too great not to do so.

Richard & Gloria Kinkead

SelectShred, Inc.

T: (772) 463-3166

info@selectshred.com