Are shredded documents more likely to be spied-on?

Question

This is a current event for me because today is trash day.

As our bin is dumped in the truck, the “sanitation technician” eyeballs what’s being dumped. Obvious things verboten like car tires or computer monitors, I suppose would be pulled back.

Well it occurred to me that if someone was dumpster-diving, wouldn’t they be more likely to take a bag of shredded paper than a bag of chicken bones and coffee grounds? Isn't more attention directed at the things we're seemingly hiding?

Are we making ourselves more vulnerable by shredding?

Answer 1

Never knew people could piece back shedded paper, if they can, they must be good, because I think that's impossible

Answer 2

Sounds like you need a better shredder. If what comes out of the shredder appears to be reconstitutable with a reasonable amount of time, it's not a good enough shredder. Get a 1/4" crosscut or better and your worries will be gone. At that point, no trashman is going to figure out how to tape back together a piece of paper cut into almost 1500 pieces and mixed together with other paper shredded in the same way. If they do, then they earned it and really need some mental counseling ;-)

If you already use a shredder like this, then it's most likely just curiosity that's going nowhere. Maybe he's thinking about how bad of a person you are to the environment for not recycling ;-)

Answer 3

Even if they took a bag of shredded documents, they still have to piece them together. I shred the important stuff, with various numbers or names that I don't want to have associated. I also mix in some unimportant stuff, and then stir well. This would make it increasingly difficult for anyone that wants to try and match triplecut paper.

Answer 4

Neither the military or the government throw shredded classified paper into a dumpster. They take it out and burn it. If you're worried about corporate espionage, buy a better shredder.

Answer 5

No one has time to reassemble shredded papers.That is the safest way to protect ourselves from Identity theft and keep our lives private.Even the FBI can't do any thing with something that has been shredded.

Answer 6

Happens all the time. To answer your question I must ask one. Are shredded documents usually more important? Obviously, the answer is yes, they usually are more important. If most of us know the answer to that, then it is feasible to think somebody would rather pieced together something they know is of importance.

Answer 7

Who has the time to piece together shredded paper? It would litter take many many hour to get it together, and it still may not be readable

Answer 8

you bet ye, burn your trash.