Jeff McRitchie

Why You Need to Shred Documents

You probably have a lot of appliances and gadgets in your home or office. From computers and MP3 players to printers and microwaves, the places where we work and live are filled with machines. But do you have a paper shredder? If you don't, it is time to think about getting one because shredding your documents is more important than ever before.

The main reason why shredding is important is because not doing so can possibly cause you to become a victim of identity theft. Identity theft has become one of the most common crimes around and it can be devastating to say the least. If the wrong person has access to such personal information as your name, Social Security number, banking information, and such, you could experience credit card fraud, major financial loss, ruined credit, and so on. To prevent this from happening, you need to shred certain documents. Here's a list of some of the items you should shred:

• Banking documents. This includes paper statements, ATM receipts, deposit slips, and so on. These days, more and more banks are offering paperless statements which can help you keep your information safe as well as reduce paper use.
• Junk mail and pre-approved credit card offers. A lot of junk mail often contains the recipient's name and address. Running it through a shredder is a great idea, especially since it can prevent credit card fraud. It can also stop someone from getting utilities (power, cable, etc.) in your name.
• Expired credit cards, ID cards, passports, CD's containing private information, etc. Shredding items such as these is essential but they require the use of a special shredder. There are some machines available that can process both paper and multimedia items, so be sure to look for one if you want to safely dispose of these things.

Now let's consider what you should look for when buying a paper shredder. There are both strip-cut and cross-cut machines. The first will cut paper into thin strips while the second turns sheets into particles. Cross-cut models offer more security and are ideal for destroying highly confidential information. Security is measured on a scale of 1 to 6. The higher the rating, the more secure the shredder is. Level 5 and 6 devices are frequently approved by the Department of Defense and the NSA/CSS, so they can be used for top-secret documents. However, for home and most business shredding, devices with 1 to 4 ratings are just right.

In addition to the type and security rating, you'll want to consider how much the device can shred at once; if it has a continuous-duty motor; the size of the waste bin; and if it has good warranty coverage. Keep in mind that you'll need to oil your machine on a regular basis with shredder oil. If you're going to be shredding with a large machine on a daily basis, you may want to get an automatic oiler to make maintenance hassle-free.

Shredding your documents is more important than ever before. Start doing so today so you can protect your identity.

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