Is it necessary to shred name and address on tossed mail/docs to avoid identity theft?

Question

or is more info than name and address needed to steal I.D.?

Answer 1

ID thefts can use anything to steal your identity. I work for a Credit Union and we do a quarterly "Shred Your Documents Day" for our members. They can bring in anything that they want to shred. We are pushing the fact that Identity theft is on the rise and things you can do to prevent it. For example, If you receive a "pre-approved" offer for a credit card or something like that don't just throw it out. If someone goes through your trash and gets that they now know your name, address, that you fit some type of criteria to receive that type of mailing and they could easily accept that "pre-approved" offer and change the address and have it mailed to them. Now they would have a credit card with your name on it, with your signature (in their writing) and your credit on the line! Not that this example is going to always happened but you never know. I don't shred everything that has my name and address on it but I do shred anything that is personalized to me such as credit card offers or anything else that says anything about "Return this portion" or anything like that. You'd rather be safe than sorry! Also check your credit report on a regular basis. You can get copies from all three of the Credit Beaurus once a year for free. Check out annualcreditreport.com for more information. I hope this helps! Brandi =)

Answer 2

Any document that I wish to throw away is shredded first. Use a good shredding, one that has criss-cross motion. The shredders that are straight shredders, can be put back together very easy. I know cause I did it one time.

Answer 3

i don't worry about things that only have my name and address.

but papers that have credit card numbers, bank acct numbers, your Social Security number, and especially those check-like things that credit card companies send you need to be shredded, or whatever.

If you don't have a shredder, you can just rip out the part of the paper that has the critical id, and tear that part into little pieces by hand.

Answer 4

in the adventure that they are waiting to reserve products and deliver them on your domicile, they have a lot extra information than that. you want to the contact regardless of debts and tell them that's a fraud. they'll walk you by the steps. If that is coming to a mastercard or bank account, your monetary corporation may ought to freeze the account till it truly is labored itself out. This man or woman is of direction doing this out of spite for some thing. replace all passwords, account protection settings, etc. If it can not be solved elsewhere, you want to the contact the police. that's a federal crime.

Answer 5

Absolutely. You never know who's hands you info can get into. Just to be on the safe side, I would.

Answer 6

It is so easy for people to do this. I have a small shredder at home and do use it. when it happens to people they are always the one that thinks this could never happen to them...... if it happens then it's more trouble than it's worth.

Answer 7

shred it to be on the safe side