The Houston Shredder

Identity thefts can be avoided through shredding in Houston

 The amount of identity thefts has been on the rise over the past few years. Identity thefts refer to the thefts where the private documents of an individual, such as credit card numbers, social security number or any other personal documents, are used by thieves for committing crimes. Identity thefts are committed for various purposes. The main purposes of these thefts are financial. By using the credit card details or other similar details or information of someone else, various products can be bought. Since the credit card number of the owner is being used, he or she is liable for paying the same. There is also another kind of identity theft where the crime is committed using the name or confidential documents of an individual. In these cases the person whose identity has been used is blamed for the crime and can be accused for the same.

There are different ways of committing identity thefts. These include stealing of credit cards, hacking Internet accounts or computers and other similar options. But one of the easiest ways of committing these crimes is through picking up the details of the important documents through the garbage. Even though the idea of going through the garbage may seem repulsive to most, this is one of the easiest way of accessing the personal and confidential lives of users. Most of the documents disposed in the garbage are not shredded and hence it is very easy to join the pieces of your torn credit card details and access your account or misuse these numbers.

There are various ways through which disposal of garage can be done through shredding in Houston. There are numerous options through which Houston shredding machines can be availed. Different types of shredding machines are available these days. There are some shredders which are used in homes while others are for official purposes. The shredding of documents has become much easier today. The documents which are shredded are fine and thinly stripped or cross cut. Hence there are no chances of the same being misused even if they are put together. Shredding in Houston can be done by buying one of these paper shredders. They come in various sizes and styles and suit the different requirements of users. The ones for offices are usually bigger in size and shape. Hence no matter where you dispose your documents, they should always be shredded.

Paper Shredding for Homes

Paper shredding for homes

Even though the use of the paper shredders had been mainly for office, there has been a change in the use of these shredders. Paper shredding has also begun at home due to the various benefits that it offers.

One of the main reasons for the use of these paper shredders at home, are due to identity thefts. There is a growing concern over the seriousness of this crime and also the alarming rate at which it has increased. Due to this a number of people are opting for paper shredding at home, for all their important documents. All documents which contain vital information or sensitive information should be destroyed through paper shredders. These include the documents which contain your social security numbers, bank details, credit card statements and other similar confidential documents.

Paper shredding ensures that these documents are not misused in any way. Regular disposal of these documents increases the chances of these documents falling into wrong hands. With the growing popularity of paper shredding more people are also becoming aware of their correct and safe uses at homes and in offices also.

Paper shredding is done through a motorized machine which helps in cutting paper into thin strips. There are different types of paper shredding machines which are available today. There are some which are particularly designed for offices while the others are designed for homes. There are different ways in which paper can be cut like strips or cross cuts. It does not matter what kind of blades your paper shredder has, because they all are very sharp to destroy the traces of confidential information from the documents fed into it.

There are different kinds of documents which are put for paper shredding. These include credit information and other pay stubs also. The lightweight paper shredder is ideal for homes because the amounts of documents being shredded are less. It should always be remembered that any document which is too thick for the blade of these paper shredders should not be put into the same. These include staples and paper clips which can actually spoil the paper shredder. The machine should be given regular maintenance and oiling so that it can work for a longer period.

The paper shredders for homes are more compact in size and also take lesser space. But it is useful and it is always recommended to dispose all documents through paper shredding.

Paper Shredding Machines

Paper shredding machines are not only a part of offices, but homes as well. There are different kinds of paper shredding machines which are available today, but they all serve the same purpose. The main purpose of  paper shredding is to avoid any confidential information or content being passed over to the wrong hands. Both offices and homes have different kind of private and confidential documents. Usually these would be disposed through the regular means of garbage. But now with  paper shredding gaining popularity, these documents are now disposed after being shredded. This ensures that all the documents which are put in the shredder come out in thin strips or cross cuts, which cannot be recognized by anyone. This restricts the passage of any information to unwanted people and other miscreants.

The paper shredder is a motorized machine that helps in reducing documents and papers to strips. There are different kinds of shredders which are available in different companies. For example, the shredder which is used at home is much smaller in size and shape as compared to the shredder which is found in the offices. There are also shredders which shred the paper in different kinds of shapes, like cross cut shredders and the strip cut shredders. Both have sharp blades and help in destroying confidential papers.

To ensure the longevity of the paper shredders, it is vital that the right method be followed while using them. Hence it is suggested that offices should have a separate person to operate these shredders or put up the instructions for using the same, near the shredder. Often people also dispose clips and staples in these shredders which can lead to the shredder getting spoiled. Also, regular maintenance and oiling of the shredder is necessary, as this helps in increasing the life span of these machines and they should also be cleaned regularly. 

There are various safety features which should be implemented during the use of these shredders. The first is that children should be kept away from the same. Those who use these shredders should not repair the same while keeping the switch on. The blades are sharp and can cut fingers if they start operating suddenly. Also the things which should not be put in the shredder should be strictly mentioned in the instructions. While putting any documents in the shredder caution should be exercised. So its important while paper shredding, hair, clothes and jewelry should be checked, so that they don’t get stuck in the shredder.

Paper Shredding and the Texas AG

If businesses haven’t got the word, they need to pay attention.  The Texas AG is very serious about protecting Texans from Identity theft.  If you don’t have an active paper shredding policy, you are at risk….in many ways.   Last week the Texas Attorney General’s Office issued new charges and announced a settlement agreement with EZCORP.

Austin based EZCORP, a payday and pawn lending company, has reached a settlement with the Texas Attorney’s General office in which it will pay the state a sum of $600,000.00.  Now you may ask yourself, what would warrant a $600,000.00 settlement?  Failure to do proper paper shredding!  That’s right, EZCORP had improperly discarded customer records in the back dumpster.  Had this been in Houston, they could have called a Houston shredding company, it would have taken about a half hour and cost them less than a hundred dollars.

Paper Shredding can Prevent Corporate Espionage and Business Identity Theft

Corporate espionage is more widespread than you might think and it doesn’t just effect the big companies but small companies and workers. In 2005, 220 shipments of counterfeit materials were seized by border control agents. This is the equivalent to 4.8 million dollars of merchandise sold retail and a loss of more than 200 million dollars to US businesses. Internationally, it translates approximately to the monetary equivalent of 750,000 jobs[1] annually.

There are many ways in which company secrets can be stolen. High-tech listening and photo devices can be used from 2000 feet away. Computers can be hacked into and email intercepted and corporate spies often try and infiltrate the company from within. According to an article in Businessweek (Joseph Pisani,October 2, 2006), corporations spend $95 billion on corporate security but the bulk of funding is focused on surveillance. Companies often overlook simple cost effective measures such as paper shredding.

Paper shredders are inexpensive security measures and prevent people from rummaging through the trash for valuable secrets and communications. The trash is the easiest place to access undetected for a stranger to the company it is also the least secured place, often not even having a surveillance camera. As a matter of fact, this method has long been successfully used by non-profits and investigative journalists. Trash is free game and it is surprising what companies throw away. Bev Harris, organizer of the nonprofit Black Box Voting, regularly used “dumpster diving” to find countless voting records that the government didn’t want in the public view. Investigative reporters have found billing mistakes, damning memos, and financial records to bring down companies.

In addition, employee records can be found by identity thieves and the information used to open accounts. This is particularly easy to do once the employer is known. Not only will this bring financial hardships to the employee but lawsuits can become costly. According to Reuters  News Wire (January 10, 2008) Sears, Roebuck, and Co. is but the latest in a stream of lawsuits being filed over Identity Theft. There is a $5 million class action lawsuit over there management of information and that amount is likely to grow as the suit builds.

Small business identity theft is also an increasing problem. According to an article in Businessweek (July 23, 2007), “Some studies say there were as many as 8.9 million individual victims of business identity theft nationwide last year, and estimated annual losses approach $50 billion”. Imagine all of your business credit accounts maxed out after all the work you have put in to building your businesses’ good name. Now realize that a simple paper shredder and shredding policy can be an important step in stopping this from happening. Whether you use a  Houston shredding company or buy your own shredder, Be Smart! Don’t throw your reputation out with the trash without protection.

Paper Shredding to continue….

The Woodlands, TX – The Farmer’s Market is on hiatus until the Fall, but the paper shredding will continue.  Due to the overwhelming requests from the community, On-Site Shred will have their truck at Grogan’s Mill Shopping Center this Saturday from 9 am until Noon.  On-Site Shred is a Woodland’s based company and provides secure document destruction on-site.  Your confidential information will be destroyed while you watch via video monitor.  Residents and businesses are asked to remove any plastic or three-ring binders.  Their shredder is able to shred right through paper clips, binder clips, and fasteners, so there is no need to remove those items.   There is no limit to the amount of boxes people or companies can bring.  Regular size file boxes are destroyed for $7.00 per box, and large file boxes are destroyed for $10.00 per box.  After this Saturday, their truck might be moving to different Villages, so they ask that you please call their office at 281-292-2280 for information on their location or visit their website at http://www.shreddinghouston.net 

Advantages to outsourcing your paper shredding

Why would I pay someone to do paper shredding when I can do it right here in-house?  I hear this question a lot.  And the answer is pretty simple.  Why?  Because it will save you money.

The Attorney General has made it pretty clear that he is serious about protecting Texans from Identity theft.  Businesses found in violation of the strict new identity theft laws will find themselves not only getting beat up in the press, but writing a substantial check to the state and preparing for civil lawsuits.  Using a professional paper shredding service that provides a certificate of destruction allows that company an audit trail and shows compliance with the new laws. 

Another reason is time.   When you are paying a person six figures you sure as heck don’t want that person spending their time at the shredding machine trying to figure out how to unjam it.  You can delegate the shredding duties to a low level employee, but do you really want that person to have access to the company’s most sensitive information?  I think not.  And what’s worse, as you can read in the press, a lot of times that employee decides it would be much easier to just dump them in the back dumpster.

Stay tuned for part II on the advantages to outsourcing your paper shredding.

Paper Shredding Prevents Identity Theft

There are many reasons to shred your important documents but perhaps the most important is protection from identity theft. Identity theft has become increasingly common over the last 10 years and according to the US Federal Trade Commission 9,000,000 Americans have their identity stolen each year. Identity theft is the act of one person assuming the identity (by using a social security number, credit card number, or other personal data) of someone else typically for monetary gain. In 2006, a large survey on identity fraud was conducted by the Council of Better Business Bureaus and Javelin Strategy & Research. That report found that the average criminal accumulates $6383 in money and merchandise per identity theft and the national cost of identity theft is 56.6 billion per year. It also found that 90%  of stolen data was acquired through trash and other non-electronic methods, not through internet transactions and the age group most likely to have their identity stolen are  35-44.

There are many ways in which your identity can be stolen but the easiest is by the information most of us throw away. Many people don’t realize how often they leave their important information vulnerable but criminals are well aware and ready to take advantage rummaging through the trash for treasure. Credit card statements, bank statements, credit offers, utility bills, and other correspondence received by mail are prime targets for thieves.

Though most companies have become more careful about your information on correspondence, thieves have become better at fishing for information. A talented thief can take your statements and talk customer service representatives into releasing other information. For example, a woman may steal a mans information and then pretend to be his wife to obtain personal information. It’s also easy to  reroute other information and offers to a different address where they then begin to set up accounts in your name. Once one account is opened the rest is easy. That account is used to obtain credit cards, credit lines, and even bank loans and accounts.

In 1998, The US Congress passed the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act. This act made identity theft a Federal crime that carries a sentence of up to 15 years in prison and fines up to $250,000. In addition, it allows victims of identity theft to seek monetary restitution and allows the Secret Service, FBI, and state and local police agencies to pursue the criminals.

The need for paper shredding in Houston is urgent. According to a report on KPRC Local 2 News (April 28, 2006), “identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States and Houston is the No. 1 spot for this crime in Texas”.  In 2005 and 2006 Houston Police Department’s Financial Crimes unit  had more than 32,000 cases open for investigation. If you are throwing any piece of mail away with personal information…you need to shred it! Simply tearing papers is not enough. Criminals are patient and will spend the time to reconstruct these pieces from your trash like jackpot puzzle. Using a shredder will make it impossible for criminals to use correspondence to steal your identity.

Personal shredders are inexpensive but can give you security that is priceless. If you have a small business or a large amount of documents to shred you may want to consider using a shredding service. These companies have locations you can take your document to to be shredded and will also shred on site for an additional charge. Most also recylcle the paper for the benefit of the environment. 

Are you trashing your security?

Unfortunately, we live in a world where bad people are intent on doing good people harm.  One of the ways they accomplish this is through identity theft.  If you are discarding the following;

• receipts
• business correspondence
• credit and employment applications
• bank statements
• checks/money orders
• IRS-related documents
• employee files
• personal files
• medical records
• junk mail
• email/hard copy correspondence

in a trash receptacle, then you are putting yourself, and your clients security in severe jeopardy.  The only acceptable practice of disposal is through paper shredding.  Penalties against businesses who violate Texas’ identity theft provisions are substantial.  The reason for these strict new laws is clear: They help protect millions of Texans from becoming the next victims of identity theft.  On-Site Shred is Houston’s premiere paper shredding company.  Let us work with you to develop a program that is cost effective and meets the security needs of your business. 

4 Easy Tips for Paper Shredding at Home.

Many of our customers at Shredding Houston use our service to come pick up their shredding as needed, so they don’t have to worry. Shredding at home can be a time consuming job, especially if you have a consumer grade shredder. It takes time to shred, and even more time to shred properly. Likewise, if you aren’t using a cross-cutting shredder, you aren’t destroying your personal papers securely. This is why so many people find Shredding Houston’s pickup service to be a faster, easier way to the piece of mind that comes when you know your documents are being shredded securely, and you are doing your best to protect you and your family against identity theft. However, from time to time, our customers have important papers they want to shred right away. For these instances, here are five great tips for secure paper shredding at home: 1. What types of documents you need to shred. It can be a little overwhelming to try and figure out just what needs to be shredded. The general rule of thumb is to destroy anything that contains personal information. This includes anything that is printed with your full name, address, social security number, birthday, credit card number, or email address should be destroyed. Also, you should always shred credit card offers, especially any that are pre-approved. Credit card offers tossed into the trash are one of the most common ways thieves commit fraud. 2. Don’t forget about personal correspondence. This is a big one. Many people don’t realize that any information an identity thief can gather about you from your trash can present a risk. If you are throwing away personal correspondence such as birthday cards, letters, or postcards, be sure to shred these first. Any details about the routines or personal habits of you, your friends, or family can help a thief steal your identity and commit fraud. Be safe, not sorry. 3. How to pick the right home shredder. When choosing a shredder, ask yourself two things: How much do I want to spend? How much shredding will I be doing at home? Ideally, you want to purchase a cross-cut shredder for at home shredding jobs. Cross-cut shredders cut your papers vertically and horizontally, offering you greater security. However, if you want to use a less-expensive model, you can go with a strip-cut shredder. These will cut your documents into strips, but are less secure, since a thief could piece documents back together if they are found in strips. If you use a strip cut shredder, buy one that cuts paper into very small strips, to make it more difficult for someone to recreate the original document. Likewise, you want to get a shredder than can handle your job. If you plan on shredding a few highly sensitive documents here and there, a smaller shredder should suffice. However, if you want to shred a larger volume of papers at home, you will need to invest in a larger, more expensive shredder that can handle more papers at once. If you don’t, it will take you much longer than you bargained for to shred your job. 4. Remove staples and paper clips before you shred! A lot of people forget to do this and find themselves sorry when their shredder jams or worse, breaks. Many of the newer, more expensive shredders will survive if you feed them staples and clips, but it’s better to remove them just to be safe. We hope these tips on home paper shredding are useful. For larger jobs in the Houston area, contact Shredding Houston and schedule an appointment for a representative to pickup your personal shredding at your home.