Protect Personal Information From Dumpster Diving
Is your trash can a gold mine of personal information? When organizing, many people want to discard old documents immediately. However, many of these old documents contain personal information that reveals too much personal information.
The growth of identity theft has raised concerns and awareness about the potential challenges associated with protecting personal information. Keeping data safe from thieves and protecting personal identity requires more than taking measures to secure a computer and making online purchases. It also involves protection against dumpster diving.
Basics of Dumpster Diving
According to Lifelock.com, thieves are willing to rummage through Americans’ trash cans to find hidden gems related to personal information. Since Americans often discard junk mail containing sensitive details, it’s easy for a thief to steal the data and use it to assume the identity of another individual.
Although it’s simple to find information in the trash, it’s often overlooked while trying to protect information. Dumpster diving statistics suggest that a significant percentage of identity theft is directly linked to finding personal information in the trash. Lifelock.com indicates that roughly 88 percent of identity theft in the U.S. occurs from information found in a dumpster.
Who is Affected By Dumpster Diving
The impact of dumpster diving can occur on every level of society. Sensitive information is often found outside doctors’ offices, lawyers’ offices, and banks. The type of information available in different dumpsters can vary based on the office, but enterprising thieves can find sensitive data in the trash can near those areas.
Beyond the basics of confidential data that are discarded, thieves can also find information in personal trash cans and dumpsters located in residential areas. Since consumers are likely to discard junk mail, theft can occur closer to home than many expect. An identity thief might dig through dumpsters in residential areas as well as the trash outside business offices.
Protecting Data From Dumpster Diving
Although the dumpster diving statistics can seem disturbing and concerning, it’s possible to protect against the potential theft. By taking measures to keep data safe before it’s discarded, it is easier to avoid or limit the risk of theft.
According to Time.com, the easiest way to protect information from thieves rummaging through the garbage is by shredding personal data and papers before sending it out with the trash. Shredding credit card offers, bank statements, and other sensitive documents that are sent through the mail will reduce the risk that the information is easily extracted from the documents.
While shredding documents sent to the house is a simple protective measure, it isn’t easy to keep documents at a lawyer’s office, doctor’s office, or bank safe in the same manner. Protecting data at a business office will require asking questions about the disposal of information. Ask if the office shreds sensitive data before disposing of it.
Beyond the basics of shredding, the computer age requires a little extra measure to protect information. According to Time.com, it’s also important to wipe a computer’s hard drive or smartphone clean before disposing of it or sending it out for recycling. That will reduce the risk that sensitive data is extracted from the hard drive after it’s discarded.
Keeping personal information safe from identity thieves isn’t always as difficult as it might seem. Identity theft can occur from the most unlikely sources, but shredding documents and wiping hard drives clean before disposing of them will reduce the risk of theft. When combined with other protective measures, such as credit monitoring, the risk to personal data is significantly reduced.
