SELECTSHRED | STUART MOBILE SHREDDING PALM CITY MOBILE SHREDDING

SELECTSHRED | PORT ST LUCIE MOBILE SHREDDING FORT PIERCE MOBILE SHREDDING

SELECTSHRED | JENSEN BEACH MOBILE SHREDDING HOBE SOUND MOBILE SHREDDING

SELECTSHRED| FIGHTING IDENTITY THEFT IN FLORIDA

When our beautiful Sunshine State is known for having the nation’s highest rate in identity theft, it is a call for action to fight the scourge of identity theft that threatens us daily of our peace of mind in our piece of paradise.  What makes us strong is also what also makes us weak because our eclectic mix of people and resources provide the welcome mat for many unsavory elements. However, we do not intend to change the inherent greatness of Florida but what we are going to change is our attitude about how we protect our confidential information to keep it from getting into the wrong hands.

As individuals, we are going to make sure that we do all that we can do to keep our personal information from those with criminal intentions.  We will not give our sensitive information willingly to unauthorized personnel and we will shred everything we no longer need. If you have accumulated too much to shred by yourself, seek out a secure, convenient, and economical NAID AAA Certified Company to destroy it for you. One added bonus is that it will help you to be “green” because your shredded materials will be recycled and kept out of the landfill.

As business owners, we are going to take the extra step to safeguard the confidential information in our custody. Our obligations are many. We have to adhere to federal regulations such as FACTA, HIPAA, and GLBA to make sure that our clients’ and customers’ sensitive information are protected even upon its disposal.  Business reputations, intellectual property, and proprietary rights must be protected.

For more information, read the following link to find out more about how Florida has the nation’s highest rate in identity theft.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/01/15/3871760/prosecutor-fla-tops-us-in-id-theft.html

Richard Kinkead & Gloria Kinkead

SelectShred, Inc.

T: (772) 463-3166

info@selectshred.com

SELECTSHRED | MARTIN COUNTY RESIDENTS TO FIGHT IDENTITY THEFT WITH STUART FREE SHRED EVENT ON JANUARY 24, 2014 AT SUNTRUST BANK, 111 SE OSCEOLA STREET, STUART

SELECTSHRED | STUART MOBILE SHREDDERS PALM CITY MOBILE SHREDDERS

SELECTSHRED | PORT ST LUCIE MOBILE SHREDDERS FORT PIERCE MOBILE SHREDDERS

SELECTSHRED | JENSEN BEACH MOBILE SHREDDERS HOBE SOUND MOBILE SHREDDERS

SelectShred is hosting a free shred event with SunTrust Bank at 111 SE Osceola Street in Stuart on Friday, January 24, 2014 between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM.  Also, follow this link for further details: SelectShred Free Shred Event Jan 2014

A free shred event is more than an opportunity to bring your confidential documents to be shredded at no cost. It is an opportunity to be educated about document destruction that goes far beyond just getting rid of documents that you no longer need. For example, document destruction should be implemented into your daily routine as a homeowner or business owner. Free shred events have been common for more than 20 years when the secure document destruction industry was in its infancy and the idea was to introduce the service. However, there is still a need for education with regard to the proper use and purpose of a document destruction service.

Free shred events will also continue to serve as great public service opportunities to promote the awareness of identity theft and the importance of shredding to keep your sensitive information from getting into the wrong hands. It is common knowledge that to avoid identity theft or information theft, outdated files should be destroyed by shredding. Our goal is to go beyond a free shred day to educating you for the future. Learn about a NAID AAA Certified Company and compliance with federal regulations such as FACTA, HIPAA, and GLBA. Note that although we are a NAID AAA Certified Company, free shred events will not be NAID AAA certified. Therefore, you will not be issued a certificate of destruction for your shredded documents. Still, your documents will not be carted away to be sorted and shredded at another location.

If you come to the free shred event, take the opportunity to have questions answered about the industry and find out how secure document destruction can be part of your everyday life. If time does not permit, call us and we are always happy to answer your questions. We are happier when we can meet with you to offer a free evaluation. Many businesses continue to believe that they are paperless, are too small, can rely on office shredders, don’t shred much, and can’t afford a shredding service. We want to share our knowledge and let you know that a shredding service can be a secure, economical, and convenient service for residential and commercial customers on an ongoing basis.

Richard Kinkead & Gloria Kinkead

SelectShred, Inc.

T: (772) 463-3166

info@selectshred.com

SELECTSHRED | WHY AND WHEN TO SHRED YOUR CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS

SELECTSHRED | PORT ST LUCIE MOBILE SHREDDERS FORT PIERCE MOBILE SHREDDERS

SELECTSHRED | STUART MOBILE SHREDDERS PALM CITY MOBILE SHREDDERS

SELECTSHRED | JUPITER MOBILE SHREDDERS PALM BEACH GARDENS MOBILE SHREDDERS

It is the time of year again when everyone is trying to organize and that includes cleaning out old files, cleaning out storage facilities, and shredding all confidential information. We still find that many people are shredding because they have run out of space in their file cabinets or storage facilities. They are shredding because they cannot fit one more file in the file cabinet or one more box in the storage room. However, we continue to emphasize that security should be the main reason for you to shred your confidential documents. It is a liability if you keep documents longer than you are legally required to do so. Don’t simply keep your confidential information in unsecured boxes waiting to call a shredding company. Some businesses have records that they have kept – for no good reason – for decades. Then it’s a mad dash around this time to get rid of outdated files. The task is daunting for company employees as they sort through stacks of boxes from decades past.

Sometimes it is difficult to know what to keep and for how long, and the tendency is to keep documents for as long as we possibly can. However, space does become limited and forces us to make a decision. Some business documents and personal documents are required to be kept for one year to seven years, indefinitely or permanently. With all of these guidelines, there are always special circumstances to consider before permanently destroying legal, business, or financial documents. For example, vehicle records can be kept until the vehicle is sold and credit card receipts can be kept until reconciled on your bank statement.

Some examples of records retention for personal documents: bank statements (one year); utility records (three years); accident reports and claims (six years); filed income tax returns (indefinitely). Some examples of records retention for business documents: customers and vendors correspondence (one year); employment applications (three years); employment tax records (four years); cancelled checks (six years); tax returns and worksheets (indefinitely). These are just a few examples of multiple personal and business documents and generalized recommendations for the length of time that they should be kept. There are many guidelines for how long records should be kept and sometimes our own common sense must prevail because there will always be special circumstances. The important things to remember are to know the general guidelines pertaining to records retention with regard to federal laws, state laws, local government laws, professions, and industries. Also, it is advisable to check with your accountant and attorney before making the final decision to destroy your documents.

Identity theft and corporate espionage are ongoing threats that we must constantly fight to avoid. When it is no longer necessary to keep confidential documents, they should be shredded and never simply thrown in the trash. Shredding with a third party service such as a NAID AAA Certified Company that destroys the confidential documents at your location is your best guarantee to fight identity theft and protect your company’s proprietary information. For IRS recommended retention periods for business records, follow the link below.

http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/How-long-should-I-keep-records

Richard Kinkead & Gloria Kinkead

SelectShred, Inc.

T: (772) 463-3166

info@selectshred.com

WHAT IS A NAID AAA CERTIFIED COMPANY?

 The National Association for Information Destruction (NAID) certifies paper and hard drive destruction operations. A shredding company chooses to seek NAID AAA Certification.  A company in the NAID AAA Certification Program is subjected to scheduled and unannounced audits.  A NAID AAA Certified Company  chooses to subject its operation to rigorous standards and third-party audits.

 Why should a shredding company want NAID AAA Certification? A NAID AAA Certified Company knows that it is running a secure and ethical business. A document destruction company also sees the NAID AAA Certification as a value-added service for its customers. 

 Why should you care about using a shredding company that is NAID AAA certified? When your business hires a document destruction company, it is required by law to make sure the company has the security required to protect your information. All security personnel handling your sensitive information undergo pre-employment and periodic screening. The NAID AAA certified company does the necessary due diligence by evaluating and verifying employment history, as well as conducting drug screening, background checks, employee training, access control and other factors required by NAID AAA Certification. 

 Using a NAID AAA Certified Company also ensures that your business is compliant with   federal regulations (FACTA, GLBA and HIPAA) governing your industry. NAID’s certification program is recognized by various private industries and government agencies around the world.

 Why Use A NAID Member?

 As part of the only organization dedicated to increasing the security and ethics of the information destruction industry, NAID MEMBERS are bound to a strict code of conduct.

 As INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, they take their business and your trust seriously enough to promote NAID’s efforts to improve the industry. NAID MEMBERS hold themselves to a Higher Standard.

 (Excerpt from NAID “Informed Buyer” Publication —  why shred).

DID YOU KNOW? NAID is the industry’s only quality assurance program that verifies security and compliance using unannounced audits.

CALL US: (772) 463-3166

EMAIL US: INFO@SELECTSHRED.COM

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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