TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) -- Every two seconds another American becomes a victim of identity theft.
While many are hit through data breaches, some thieves still rely on old-fashioned methods like mail theft or digging through your trash. That's why document shredding remains an important tool in the fight against fraud. In this Angie's List report, the do's and don'ts of paper shredding.
Your personal information is everywhere: bills, bank statements, blank checks, even credit card offers and magazine subscriptions. If you don't take the disposal of this personal information very seriously, it could cost you.
"The main reason is identity theft is the fastest growing criminal act in the world for nine years in a row. One out of every three people will lose their identity just this year," said shredding service expert Chris Shepherd.
Paper shredding reduces the risk of having your confidential documents stolen and used against you. And while it can be a slow-growing process, many people turn to shredding companies.
If you're going to hire help, look for a company that's happy to showcase its process. You should be able to watch your items literally go through the shredder so you know your information can't be pieced back together.
To reduce the risk of your documents being reconstructed, the shredded material typically goes into bales with multiple customers' shredded documents before being recycled.
As for cost, most companies charge by the minute or pound.
"When you go to the grocery store, they say, "paper or plastic?" A plastic bag full of that, it's only $5. And then the big brown sack is $10. You bring a typical banker box in, a standard banker box, that's $15," said Shepherd.
But before you hand over that box or bag, always double check your documents.
"Make sure that there's not money in there. We do shred money," warns Shepherd.
When looking for a paper shredding company, Angie's List says check to see if it's certified by the National Association of Information Destruction or NAID.
Remember you can catch the latest Angie's List report every Tuesday morning on WTXL Sunrise.
