FIGHT IDENTITY THEFT WITH A FREE SHRED EVENT HOSTED BY THE STUART POLICE DEPARTMENT, ALONG WITH SELECTSHRED, ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014 AT THE STUART POLICE DEPARTMENT, 830 S.E. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. BOULEVARD, FROM 10:00 AM TO 1:00 PM

Florida is known for having the nation’s highest rate of identity theft. There are many ways to prevent identity theft. Getting free credit reports, monitoring your credit cards, and checking bank account activity are just a few. Shredding is another way to ensure that your confidential information is destroyed and prevented from getting into the wrong hands.

Here are some types of sensitive information that you should shred when they are no longer needed: credit/debit card receipts, old tax records, insurance records, bank statements, cancelled checks, health records, financial documents, legal documents, and all other documents with your social security number and driver’s license number. Also, don’t forget to destroy those credit card offer letters and the billing information in the center pages of magazines.

Individuals and businesses have to make sure that they do everything to keep sensitive information from dumpster divers. If you have accumulated too much to shred by yourself, use a secure, convenient, and economical NAID AAA Certified Company to destroy it. It is important to use a secure on-site shredding service. Even with this shred event, your documents are not carted away to be sorted and shredded at another location but will be shredded on-site. All shredded materials are recycled into new paper products that help you to be “green” because paper is kept out of landfills to minimize negative impact on the environment.

Free shred events are more than opportunities to have your confidential documents shredded at no cost. They are occasions to become educated about document destruction that go far beyond just getting rid of documents that are no longer necessary to keep. These are also great public service events to promote the awareness of identity theft and the importance of shredding to protect sensitive information.

For more information, read the following link from Florida’s Attorney General to find out more about identity theft. http://myfloridalegal.com/identitytheft

Richard Kinkead, Owner/President

Gloria Kinkead, Owner/Vice President

SelectShred, Inc.

T: (772) 463-3166

info@selectshred.com

In addition to shredding confidential information to prevent it from getting into the wrong hands, there are many other preventive steps to avoid the misuse of information. The following is a common sense approach to handling requests for information because it is not always appropriate for information to be shared in its entirety.

Here is a tip for government agencies and others that receive requests for information and need to “blot out” pieces of sensitive information before distribution:

• Never electronically erase or blot out information to be concealed and distribute the electronic document since electronic files almost always retain easily retrievable original information, even when it is visually concealed.

• Never distribute blotted or scanned images of blotted documents since blotting does not perfectly conceal or destroy print.

• Delete the information to be concealed. Carefully review the document with deletions to ensure that the deleted information cannot be deduced from the given information. Use a professional/expert to review the document with deletions if necessary. Print a copy of the document with deletions.

• Scan the copy of the document with deletions into graphical format and shred the printed copy.

• Electronically transmit the scanned (graphical format) copy of the document with deletions or distribute a hard copy of the scanned image,

• It is always prudent to consult with your local NAID AAA Certified document destruction company for helpful hints on securing your personal documents or business records. A key component of your shredding company should be to educate about the perils of casually disseminating sensitive information.

Follow the link below to learn more about safeguarding the confidential information in your custody.

http://www.nacua.org/nacualert/docs/GrammLeachBliley_Act/FTC_Complying_With_Safeguards.pdf

Of course, it is always most prudent to shred first with a NAID AAA Certified on-site document destruction company and then have that company take care of recycling the shredded paper.

Richard Kinkead, Owner/President

Gloria Kinkead, Owner/Vice President

SelectShred, Inc.

T: (772) 463-3166

info@selectshred.com

SELECTSHRED | IT’S PUBLIC INFORMATION—NO NEED TO SHRED. IS THAT REALLY TRUE? – PORT SAINT LUCIE SHREDDING FORT PIERCE SHREDDING INDIANTOWN SHREDDING STUART SHREDDING PALM CITY SHREDDING OKEECHOBEE SHREDDING HOBE SOUND SHREDDING

“It is public information and there is no reason to shred it. If we see there is no confidential information on the paper, we are absolutely confident in putting it in the trash or in a recycle bin.” Is that really true? Even with requests for public information, there is accountability involved. When requests for information are made to public agencies, some information is responsibly blotted out and a chain of custody is established (who is asking for the information). This is done to maintain confidentiality and establish accountability. Whether you are a financial institution, medical facility, or government agency, it is never acceptable to have information casually passed around or discarded.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is very emphatic with its FACTA Disposal Rule and states that it applies to large and small organizations such as consumer reporting companies, lenders, insurers, employers, landlords, government agencies, mortgage brokers, car dealerships, attorneys, private investigators, and debt collectors. Your organization has an obligation to protect the identity and privacy of the public, clients or customers when their personal information is collected to conduct business. It is the legal right of the public, clients, and customers to expect any organization to take every precaution to protect their confidential information, including shredding the information before it is discarded. Click on the following link to learn about the FACTA Disposal Rule http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2005/06/facta-disposal-rule-goes-effect-june-1

As we have said in the past, accountability is paramount in protecting your establishment in case of an alleged data breach. Everything will rest on what you have in place to prove that you have done everything in your power to avoid data breaches, protect privacy, and safeguard the confidential information in your custody. Otherwise, you might face daunting legal issues, fines, destroyed reputation, and even settlement costs. Even public agencies can get drawn into costly legal battles when seemingly benign information such as email addresses get exposed without the expressed consent of the owner. Use a NAID AAA Certified company that can provide assistance in reviewing and preparing written document security and destruction policies and procedures, and assist in staff training.

In addition to preventing information from getting into the wrong hands, let’s consider that all shredded materials are recycled into new paper products. It is kept out of the landfills and has become a reusable resource.

Richard Kinkead, Owner/President

Gloria Kinkead, Owner/Vice President

SelectShred, Inc.

T: (772) 463-3166

info@selectshred.com