Paper Shredders

[Nancy]

How do you shred papers? Do you:

use a straight cut shredder (a machine that shreds your papers in strips)?
use a cross cut shredder (a machine that shreds your papers in little pieces)?
tear up the papers with your hands and then throw them in the garbage?
use scissors to cut them up and then throw them in the garbage?
Any other way you rather shred them?

Or you just throw the papers away as is and/or into a little ball and then put them in the garbage?

I have a MainStay Office cross cut paper shredder at home, and it shreds my documents into little tiny pieces. I like it this way than the "strips" the straight cut shredders does because criminals can piece them together (if they can find all the matching documents) if they are cut in strips.

I have seen people make them in little balls and then put them in the garbage....people who likes to invade in garbage for criminal reasons can easily use those papers....which I think it's dangerous.

What about you?

 

[Oceanbreeze]

I don't use paper shredders. I throw out what I don't want.

Sometimes, I will rip up what I want to discard with my bare hands, though. I also have cut up the paper with scissors before, but I haven't done that in years.

 

[Reba]

We use a cross cut shredder. In fact, I just finished a stack of papers a few minutes ago.

We have been cleaning out old tax and military files. Every page has to be shredded. Ugh!

In the Navy, we used to shred the papers, and then put the shreds into "burn bags". The bags were taken to a special incinerator and burned to ash. That really protected the information.

 

[Catmandu]

I use cross cut shredder

 

[CODAchild]

Most of the time I just rip things up with my hands. But, if they're too bulky, then I will just throw them away as is.

 

[sequoias]

I use a straight cut shredder to shred them away and recycle them in a plastic bag. I use it for private info on bank statements, bills, documents all that stuff like that.

 

[diehardbiker]

I do use cross cut shredder, they are nearly effective thrawt the identity thieves. The best way to destroy security sensitive document is what? FIRE! As for straight shredder, some thieves have some patience to put them together and they are the easiest to put together, Cross cut shredder just use more time to put them back together. If you cant burn them, then you can always split several batches of cross cut shredders then dump at several different locations like your work, your friend's house, even your neighbor garbage can. Some can go in car wash trash can, gas station garbage can. That way, it is much harder for criminals to find piece together. But again fire is the best way!
Don't you know ID thieves is now number one highest increasing in crime activity! They outnumber any of other crimes. I am not sure what the statistic are right now, but image murder drop down about 14%, robbery decrease about 5%, but for ID thieves, they increased about 300%!!! That is because people think just simply throw away in garbage won't do harm, but the chance when you take the garbage out on curb, there are bound to be somebody dug in your trash can 3 am to find anything that they can steal from you while your asleep!!! That is the biggest problem right now.

 

[FeistyChick]

i use cross cut shredder for everything to be sure everything is cut up like personal info such as address, account number, ss#, etc...

 

[Banjo]

That is because people think just simply throw away in garbage won't do harm, but the chance when you take the garbage out on curb, there are bound to be somebody dug in your trash can 3 am to find anything that they can steal from you while your asleep!!! That is the biggest problem right now.

Which is why I don't get a monthly statement via mail anymore.

 

[TongueOnFire]

that so funny, today i was cleaning all boxes out with all letters, bank, others informations.. i cut them up as pieces with scissors or hands off and on!! .. my hands are tired now!! i need to buying a SHREDDER MACHINE!! haha!!!



TOF

 

[diehardbiker]

What about junk advertising offer you credit? There are bound other kinds of sensitive info that usually don't go online. That is where ID thieves are looking for. You will ALWAYS have sensitive documents around you, that is why you still need to have shredder, or a match and a grill, or fireplace.

Which is why I don't get a monthly statement via mail anymore.

 

[diehardbiker]

Using hands and scissors still very easy for somebody to piece together because each piece has its unique pattern making it easier to piece back together. Cross cut makes it very difficult to piece together because they all have same shape and size!

cross cut shredder cost around 35 dollars at wal-fart and that it is far, far, far cheaper and easiest than cleaning up your credit history once somebody stole your id.

Final note to all who rents their apartment/house to get renter's insurance, as most of them DO offer ID thieves coverage. And that insurance have their attorney to help you clean up the mess. Homeowners, they generally are required to have such insurance and that ID thieves coverage almost always included. Don't expect your landlord's insurance to cover your losses.

that so funny, today i was cleaning all boxes out with all letters, bank, others informations.. i cut them up as pieces with scissors or hands off and on!! .. my hands are tired now!! i need to buying a SHREDDER MACHINE!! haha!!!



TOF

 

[Banjo]

What about junk advertising offer you credit? There are bound other kinds of sensitive info that usually don't go online. That is where ID thieves are looking for. You will ALWAYS have sensitive documents around you, that is why you still need to have shredder, or a match and a grill, or fireplace.

I keep all of my sensitive information in one place and no... I'm not going to tell you where it is. For your information, most of the sensitive information that come in my mailbox have all of the sensitive information... blanked out.

It's the same with bank receipts. Yes, I even keep them in a place and I don't throw them out. Are you sure it's wise to shred pay stubs, banking statements, credit information and more? What if you face an tax audit requiring you to back at least a decade worth of data?

I like to keep records of everything I do, but I don't leave them laying around. You're a tad too paranoid though. Shredding everything isn't going to prevent it from happening because in a few years, most of the sensitive information will be online and not in the mailbox. After all, the US congress did pass the new bill for the National ID to be used, isn't that right?

 

[diehardbiker]

Im not asking you where your stuff is. All I am doing is educate, that is all. You need not to keep more than 7 years. The longer you keep the better chance it can be stolen. Somebody can break in your place and find out. IRS can not, by law ask for anything that is more than 7 years old.
I know what you mean, but you can do steps to protect yourself better. If you do nothing, then your taking chances. Nothing is 100% foolproof.

I keep all of my sensitive information in one place and no... I'm not going to tell you where it is. For your information, most of the sensitive information that come in my mailbox have all of the sensitive information... blanked out.

It's the same with bank receipts. Yes, I even keep them in a place and I don't throw them out. Are you sure it's wise to shred pay stubs, banking statements, credit information and more? What if you face an tax audit requiring you to back at least a decade worth of data?

I like to keep records of everything I do, but I don't leave them laying around. You're a tad too paranoid though. Shredding everything isn't going to prevent it from happening because in a few years, most of the sensitive information will be online and not in the mailbox. After all, the US congress did pass the new bill for the National ID to be used, isn't that right?

 

[FeistyChick]

I keep all of my sensitive information in one place and no... I'm not going to tell you where it is. For your information, most of the sensitive information that come in my mailbox have all of the sensitive information... blanked out.

It's the same with bank receipts. Yes, I even keep them in a place and I don't throw them out. Are you sure it's wise to shred pay stubs, banking statements, credit information and more? What if you face an tax audit requiring you to back at least a decade worth of data?

I like to keep records of everything I do, but I don't leave them laying around. You're a tad too paranoid though. Shredding everything isn't going to prevent it from happening because in a few years, most of the sensitive information will be online and not in the mailbox. After all, the US congress did pass the new bill for the National ID to be used, isn't that right?

yes you can AFTER 7 YEARS...
but bills, apt lease, etc.. you can hold them for a year or two.. but taxes, bank statements, pay stubs, i keep them for 7 years...

 

[Banjo]

Im not asking you where your stuff is. All I am doing is educate, that is all. You need not to keep more than 7 years. The longer you keep the better chance it can be stolen. Somebody can break in your place and find out. IRS can not, by law ask for anything that is more than 7 years old.

I know what you mean, but you can do steps to protect yourself better. If you do nothing, then your taking chances. Nothing is 100% foolproof.

No, you are ALWAYS at the risk of being robbed. Your chances of getting robbed don't increase by the amount of records you keep. Just a bigger loss, and I will take my chances because I am not a paranoid person and I am careful with how I handle my records.

Of course, nothing is 100% foolproof. But I don't spend my life worrying about it because it's not worth it.

 

[FeistyChick]

No, you are ALWAYS at the risk of being robbed. Your chances of getting robbed don't increase by the amount of records you keep. Just a bigger loss, and I will take my chances because I am not a paranoid person and I am careful with how I handle my records.

Of course, nothing is 100% foolproof. But I don't spend my life worrying about it because it's not worth it.

same here

 

[Banjo]

yes you can AFTER 7 YEARS...
but bills, apt lease, etc.. you can hold them for a year or two.. but taxes, bank statements, pay stubs, i keep them for 7 years...

I was making an example, it wasn't to be taken literally. 7 years is still awfully long though.

 

[FeistyChick]

I was making an example, it wasn't to be taken literally. 7 years is still awfully long though.

thats what my lawyer and accountant suggested... and many people even acknowledged it too.. it has to do with IRS...

 

[webexplorer]

I have heard that most shredder machines break down. My few papers got stuck inside the machine, and it was broken. I could not fix it because the plastic is sealed (no vision of screws and nuts on it). I burn my papers, and it is just like a free service...