Several victims of identity theft are still unaware of their situation. Their accounts have been accessed and used without their consent but they fail to notice it. Could it be that you are already a victim?

There are hundreds of different ways to get your identity stolen, learn what signs should raise a flag and how to prevent them:

• If you discover new accounts that you didn´t open yourself or you are receiving credit cards you didn´t apply for.
• If you fail to receive your bills or mail you usually receive monthly
• If you get a call from a mortage or collection company you have no connections with
• If you realize your credit is lower than usual or being denied for no reason
• If you start getting calls from unfamiliar companies about products or services you never purchased
• If you notice inaccurate information in your credit reports or bank statements

It´s better safe than sorry. Review your financial statements regularly and keep your eyes open for any odd activity. Try to review your credit reports periodically, check all the accounts, bills paid and any debts you haven´t applied for.

It´s always good to double check that your personal information is accurate and has no abnormal modifications. Don´t forget to shred sensitive documents and information to avoid theives stealing your information from your own home or work place.

With Security Shred you are not only preventing yourself or your company from being affected by identity theft; you contribute to create a healthier environment thanks to our recycling policies. Security-Shred recycles over a half million pounds of paper and electronic waste materials annually for their clients, materials previously destined for deposit in Northern California landfills.

Security Shred recycles 100% of the shredded paper remains to help ensure the sustainability of our forests and the environment. We also offer free E-waste recycling (printers, fax machines, monitors, cell phones, etc.) for our shredding service clients.

By using our services and therefore, letting us recycle your obsolete papers for you, you are helping to reduce the consumption of the rainforest, energy and paper waste going to landfills. Other great benefit of recycling goods is that it reduces the emission of methane gasses into the atmosphere, which are affecting the climate change.

It´s time to protect the natural habitats for the generations to come; it´s time to reduce the rapid growth of landfill sites; recycling is the best way to assure our survival and to avoid an un-sustained use of our natural resources.

Some companies avoid change, sticking to their archaic procedures only to be left behind and to be forgotten over time; they not only harm their finances but also ruin their public image without even noticing.

Building a superior image can be done with moderate amounts or practically no money, just by taking advantage of the circumstances as they arrive. I have seen people turning over dreadful situations into successful campaigns, and I have seen their public´s loyalty increase along with their profits.

For instance, I recall visiting a Jerez factory in Spain that was having trouble with mice. They found a way to make their visitors feel eager to see the mice while they were taking the tours. How did this happen? They created a whole story about the mice in the factory, how much they liked to hang around it and how it was “home” to them.

Who resists a cute little mouse with ideals, name and a family? Kids asked their parents to take them to the factory for “mice quests”. That is only one example of how to turn things around and benefit your company.

Sometimes companies need to stick to governmental policies or change some of their processes to become “environmentally friendly” or comply with security issues. Instead of resisting change and feeling disappointed with the situation, companies need to take actions to make themselves look good to the public´s eye.

U.S companies are required to protect their client and employee data by shredding and disposing the information correctly. HIPPA, FACTA, and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley laws have being implemented to ensure this privacy and security we all hope for.

This is another way to utilize things to your favor; if federal and state laws mandate your business to safeguard confidential information, try to go one step ahead. Show clients how much you care for their safety, the environment, how you constantly try to modify processes not only to be more cost and time effective, but to contribute with society itself.

Some of these shredding companies offer Certificates of destruction for free, use them, take advantage of this, expose this information to your clients, let them “see” you. Remember, being good is not enough; you need to “act” good as well.

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Due to identity theft scams, the United States has developed plenty of privacy laws such as The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999; Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA); and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) that obligate businesses to adhere to the privacy and security policies instructed by their state law.

Some of these laws require companies to protect their client and employee personal data by shredding this information and ensuring a correct disposal. They must be cautious and manage these documents very carefully to avoid leaks of information, scams and any misuse of this data.

In order to reduce costs, some companies have decided to hire outsourcing shredding services to do the job. In the past, companies used to gather the documents and haul them to the shredding company to destroy it. However, nowadays mobile shredding companies bring an equipped truck with an industrial shredder directly to your office or home.

Why are mobile shredders better than traditional shredders?

Mobile shredders destruct the documents right in front of your house or office, instead of taking your private documents to another location for shredding. It provides added security, you won´t have to trust the company or the employees, you are able to watch as they tear down the documents/materials.

What should I look for in a Mobile Shredding Company?

First of all, the company must be SECURE, licensed and insured. Secondly, you need to check what type of procedures they use when hiring their employees, remember they will be handling your sensitive data; all employees should be subject to drug and background tests. Next, make sure they provide you with a Certificate of Destruction, as it serves to prove you have taken the required steps to guard your customer and employee information in case the authorities decide perform an audit.

Why should I hire a company if I can have my employees do it?

There are several reasons why you should hire a professional company to do this type of work. Let´s start with the security issue; employees could keep some information to themselves, sell it or lend it to a third party. Not only is your company´s information exposed, but your client´s data as well.

The second reason is you and your staff will have the time to focus on their tasks without affecting production time, your offices won´t get messy and you won´t to be concerned about disposing the shredded materials.

Several mobile shredding companies recycle the shredded materials. If you wish to contribute with Mother Nature, this is a great way to do so; these companies recycle the paper and materials into other products.

Security-Shred - Northern California

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