Identity theft impacts a growing number of Americans each year, and throwing personal documents into a recycle bin or dumpster can leave you vulnerable to criminals. To keep your identity secure, it’s more important than ever to shred any documents with personal or financial information.
When disposing of old papers, a good rule of thumb is to be on the lookout for materials that reveal your identity or financial details. If you see your social security number, bank account or other sensitive information, shred the documents and dispose of them in a secure way.
To protect yourself from identity theft, it is always better to be over prepared. If there is any chance a document contains personal information, the best choice is to shred it.
As tax season wraps up and Delta Community’s Spring Shred Days approach, here are 5 documents that should always be shredded with a cross-cut shredder and disposed of in a secure way:
1. Old Tax Returns
Most tax-filers can only be audited in the three-year period after their taxes are filed. If you have older tax returns that you no longer want or need, make sure to shred all pages and corresponding financial papers.
2. Financial Statements
Any document that contains bank account numbers or credit card information should be shredded before disposal. Make sure to check preapproved offers from credit card companies and financial institutions for any personal information.
3. Pay Stubs
Tax fraud is a type of identity theft where criminals file a tax return using your personal information and claim your refund. Pay stubs contain some of the critical information needed for this type of fraud. If your employer issues pay stubs, make sure they are always disposed of securely.
4. Old Car Registrations
While a car registration alone may not lead to identity theft, information on the paperwork can be used as part of an identity theft scheme. All expired or outdated government paperwork and IDs should be shredded for your security.
5. Canceled or Voided Checks
Even canceled and voided checks contain account numbers that can lead to fraud or identity theft. After a check is canceled or voided, shred the hard copy to keep your bank account information secure.
Come Shred Away at Shred Days
Spring Shred Days at Delta Community Credit Union offer members the perfect opportunity to clean house in a safe and secure way.
We’ve partnered with Iron Mountain Shredding to provide our members with cross-cut shredding and secure shred disposal services at several branch locations in late April and early May.
If you’re spring cleaning your office or reorganizing your filing cabinet, bring your old documents to Delta Community Credit Union’s Shred Days for disposal.
You can find the dates and locations of our Spring Shred Days listed below, or on the Credit Union
calendar page.
Come protect your identity and shred away!
Monday, April 27 2015
Virginia Avenue Branch
1025 Virginia Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30354
10 a.m. to noon
Tuesday, April 28 2015
Mt. Zion Branch
5006 Mt Zion Parkway
Stockbridge, GA 30281
10 a.m. to noon
Saturday, May 2 2015
Peachtree City (Wisdom Rd.) Branch
315 Hwy 74, North
Peachtree City, GA 30269
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Tuesday, May 5 2015
Duluth Branch
1980 Satellite Blvd NW
Duluth, GA 30097
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Wednesday, May 6 2015
Dallas Highway Branch
2627 Dallas Hwy SW
Marietta, GA 30064
10 a.m. to noon
Thursday, May 7 2015
Vinings Branch
3250 Riverwood Parkway
Atlanta, GA 30339
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Friday, May 8 2015
Newnan Branch
1825 Hwy 34 East
Newnan, GA 30265
10 a.m. to noon
