Granted, your business is far from being those monstrous international companies which churn out billions of dollars in sales. But your business and these international corporations face a common enemy; identity theft. Some business owners feel that they have little to worry about in identity theft, mistakenly thinking that their businesses are ‘not that important’ to be targeted in identity theft. Well, newsflash. One crusty old document falling into the wrong hands can be the doom of your business. Here are three business that is a big risk of identity theft and which, therefore, require secure document destruction.

The Retail Business

Making it in the retail industry is normally pegged on building a brand. However, all the back-breaking work that comes with building a brand can be reduced to an exercise in futility after malicious elements access your documents and steal your identity. And it is not only documents which you should be worried about; Something as simple as your old logo sown on discarded uniforms can also be used in identity theft. This explains why your retail business should take up apparel destruction provided by Bob Document Destruction.

Certified Public Accountants

You can imagine what could happen if that credit card statement from 10 years ago that you, as a Certified Public Accountant, are still harbouring, fell into the wrong hands. The personal information contained in such a document and many others handled each day by CPAs are mouth-wateringly appealing to fraudsters involved in identity theft. The fact that such documents contain financial details of a person make them even more sensitive. While the law compels CPAs to store important documents over a specified period, it prudent to have professional paper shredding done on those old financial documents by Bob Document Destruction.

Self-Employed Businesses

Due to the close relationship between you as a business owner and your business, the detrimental effects on your reputation caused by identity theft are also reflecting on the business’ reputation. And you know how difficult it is for clients to warm up to businesses with a questionable past. Fortunately, protecting your reputation and that of your business is as easy as contracting Bob Document Destruction for secure document destruction.

At Bob Document Destruction, we have the interests of the environment close to heart. So, you can rest assured that your unimportant documents will be shredded and disposed of in an environmentally-friendly manner. We at Bob Document Destruction also respect your organization’s privacy and will conduct the document shredding operations at your premises.

Not only does storing old and unimportant documents leave your office & house with lots of clutter, these documents can be used to commit fraud through identity theft. Which is why you should destroy all unnecessary but sensitive documents regardless of their sentimental value. Below are 10 documents that you should destroy with immediate effect.

1. Unimportant Medical Documents

Those unimportant medical documents need to go as they are filled with sensitive personal information. Note that the key word here is ‘unimportant’ so don’t go shredding important medical documents that you’ll need during your next visit to the medical practitioner.

2. Bank Statements

Malicious people can use statements from financial institutions in their fraudulent dealings and can potentially drain your bank account. It is, therefore, imperative to destroy bank statements once you’ve retrieved all necessary details.

3. Insurance Documents

You should only file insurance records which you’ll need for future reference. All other insurance documents should be properly shredded.

4. Benefit Statements

Income allowance statements, family tax benefit statements, and all other benefit statements are other sensitive documents that should be disposed. These records are filled with information that can be used for fraudulent activities.

5. Filed Tax Returns

Identify thieves can also look into using your tax returns documents to obtain your personal information and so you should shred those old tax returns that are over five years old.

6. Junk Mail

Disposing your junk mail not only helps in decluttering the home, but also goes a long way in protecting you against identity theft. So, ensure to have those bills, courtesy checks, and college application documents destroyed.

7. Pay slips

If the amount on the pay stub is far from being inspiring, the first thing to come to mind is to shred it into pieces. Well, here is yet another reason for destroying that pay stub; pay stubs represent another type of sensitive document popular in identity theft.

8. Expired ID Cards

There is no document that defines you as person much like your ID card does and it is, therefore, an obvious document that could land you in trouble if used by fraudsters.

9. Boarding Passes

Gone are the days when taking a flight across Australia was an indication of status, and so there is really no need to store old airplane boarding passes. These documents which have much of your personal information are also among those that need to disappear.

10. Credit Card Statements

Bank statements are not the only documents from financial institutions that should go to the shredder. Credit card statements are also candidates of documents that should disappear through paper shredding.

Identity theft is an issue which is often not given the attention and seriousness it requires. People have found themselves on a collision course with the law after having their personal information used in the commission of fraudulent activities. Don’t be like such people; ensure all documents that can be used in identity theft are shredded by professionals from Bob Document Destruction who will leave zero traces of the original documents.

Paper Shredding has become a vital part to numerous businesses, and especially those that handle sensitive information. Of course, you wouldn’t want your clients’ sensitive information getting in the wrong hands. This is why you have to prepare adequately before contacting the shredding company. Fortunately, below is how to prepare for Paper Shredding.

Sorting Out Your Documents

When sorting your documents, materials like newspapers, magazines, extension books, and binders are eliminated. This is because they can’t be shredded. It is therefore advisable that you sort out all the items that can’t be shredded before handing them over to the shredding company.

Removing Unshreddable Materials

The next important thing in preparing for document destruction is to remove materials that are not only unshreddable but also dangerous for the shredder. These include binder clips, document covers, and any metal folder hangers. Otherwise, they can potentially harm the staff.

Prepare Other Shreddable Materials

Other materials that can be sorted out, though not usually considered shred-ready, include storage media. Storage media such as tapes, floppy disks, CDs, and flash drives can also be shredded, but by an expert shredding service. It is therefore important that these materials be separated from the paper supplies, as a different shredder is needed for them. Also, ensure to acquire a certificate of destruction for them.

That said, the best way to ensure that you’re fully prepared for sensitive shredding is to choose a service provider that meets all your needs. Therefore, if your business handles large volumes of documents, it would be wise that you choose carefully.

Document destruction has become second to nature for many businesses. Nevertheless, there are several things typical shredders can’t handle. With Bob Document Destruction, however, your sensitive information is safe. Just call us today and let us do the rest for you.