Proper Information Security and Destruction is
Essential for High School, College and Elderly Seniors
Alike
BANNOCKBURN, Ill. ,
Aug. 16,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In advance of National Senior
Citizens Day on August 21, 2023, and
in conjunction with the back-to-school season,
Shred-it®, a leading provider in information
destruction, is sharing best practices for personal document
security to protect "seniors" young and old. As parents are
preparing to safely send their children back to school, they may
also have their own parents' safety to consider. While certain
seniors have financial aid and post-grad paperwork, other seniors
have paperwork related to retirement, healthcare plans and more.
These information-laden documents need to be kept in a secure place
or properly shredded and destroyed, whether at home, in a dorm
room, or at retirement facility.
Many are unaware of the amount of information available and at
risk when it comes to paper within the home. Junk mail, such as
pre-approved credit card offers, ATM receipts, pay stubs and even
invitations and save-the-dates all contain information that bad
actors can use for identity theft or fraud.
Shred-it® recommends a shred-it-all policy for the
workplace and at home.
For seniors of all ages, Shred-it® recommends taking
the following steps to properly protect and dispose of personal
documents that are vulnerable to exposure.
- Avoid leaving private information exposed: There are
many ways to expose confidential data, ranging from leaving
sensitive information sitting out on your desk to leaving your
computer screen unattended in public. Securely store private
information in locked cabinets to keep it safe.
- Avoid using unsecured disposal bins: It is a common
misconception that disposing of physical information in a regular
trash can or recycling bin is a safe method. Shredding is one of
the most secure ways to dispose of confidential information and to
protect your data against malicious actors who may resort to
dumpster diving for personal details.
- Use a professional shredder: Secure paper shredding is
still necessary to securely dispose of confidential documents.
Standard home office shredders aren't as thorough in their
destruction process, cutting paper into vertical or horizontal
strips, which can be easily reassembled. Shred-it® is a
NAID AAA Certified vendor that offers a variety of shredding
services to meet your shredding needs and recycles the paper
after.
- Beware of fraudsters: Always be skeptical and verify the
legitimacy of any person or business requesting personal
information by checking phone numbers, addresses and official
company sources, as well as speaking to a real customer service
representative. In 2022, 2.7 million consumers reported
fraud to the FTC. Imposters, online shopping and
prizes/sweepstakes are the most popular scams today, but credit
card fraud, unsolicited phone calls and phishing
attacks are the most popular for seniors young and old.
Shred-it® is dedicated to offering document security
solutions for high school, college and elderly seniors alike. As
data protection requirements and information security best
practices continue to evolve, Shred-it® works with
businesses and communities to protect what matters. In 2022 alone,
Shred-it® securely shredded and recycled 1 billion
pounds of paper — safeguarding both confidential information and
the environment. For more information on these solutions, including
drop-off and one-time pickup, visit shredit.com.
About Shred-it®
Shred-it®
is an information security service provided by Stericycle, Inc.
(Nasdaq: SRCL). Shred-it's leading information destruction
solutions ensure the security and integrity of private and
confidential information, protecting global, national and local
businesses across North America
and Europe. For more information,
please visit www.shredit.com.
Media Contact:
+1-847-964-2288
media@stericycle.com
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SOURCE Shred-it