By now, most people know that they should keep their important papers safe and some ways to keep documents containing sensitive information from inadvertently falling into the wrong hands. Shredding personal documents is almost always the way to go…and the bigger the pile of shredded material to add it to, the better. But what about credit cards, themselves?
Destroying credit cards doesn’t have to be difficult, but it definitely has to be done. Some specific guidelines should be followed to further protect you from someone getting a hold of your card numbers.
1. Cut the Card Into Pieces. Simply bending the card so it is rendered unusable isn’t enough to deter an identity thief, and the more pieces, the better.
2. Cut Across All of the Numbers. Cutting the card up into a few chunky pieces like a puzzle really only makes it well…a puzzle. Cutting the card into strips through all of the numbers makes it far more difficult to put together and decipher.
3. Place Into At Least Two Different Trash Cans. Putting all of the pieces into the same trash bag, or even different trash bags within the same trash cart is inviting trouble. An identity thief may have some difficulty putting all of the pieces together and reading the card accurately, but he will have a far better chance with all of the pieces. With a few pieces in a bag here and there that go out to the curb at different times will deter even the most patient of identity thieves.
Taking just a few extra steps now to protect yourself against identity theft will save you literally years of heartache later.
For more information on document destruction and identity theft visit www.wasteawaygroup.com.
Creditcards.com
Lifehacker.com
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