Identity Theft Prevention - Free Shredding Event

6/15/2009

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Chicago, IL June 15, 2009 - More than 8.1 million people became victims of identity theft in the past year making it the fastest growing crime in the U.S., according to the Better Business Bureau. On June 20, the BBB and various government agencies are helping consumers and businesses protect themselves by hosting the 4th Annual "Shred It & Forget It" Shredder Day.
 
Hosts of the annual event where consumers can shred documents for free are: the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois, Federal Trade Commission, Illinois Attorney General's Office, United States Postal Inspectors Service, Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, Cook County's State's Attorney, Chicago Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation.
 
Shredder Day is being held to give residents and small businesses an opportunity to dispose of their unwanted personal financial/confidential documents for free. 
 
The event will be held Saturday, June 20th, at the United Center parking LOT E (On Wood Street between Madison & Warren Blvd.). Hours for Shredder Day are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Ten shredder trucks will be on hand to destroy all the sensitive material. 
 
The free shredding services are being provided by BBB Accredited Businesses: Beaver Shredding, Acme Document Destruction, Chicago Shred Authority and Cintas Document Management.
 
Residents are asked to limit the material they want shredded to 10 boxes of documents.  There will be a FREE Shredder given away every 15 minutes.  Additionally, individuals can log on to www.chicagoshreds.com and sign up to win. 
 
Representatives from the participating organization will be on hand at "Shred It & Forget It" to offer guidelines for shredding documents, and answer questions about how to keep your personal information safe.
 
Here are some suggestions for deciding how long to keep personal financial information:
 
·         The IRS has three years from your tax-filing date to audit, and has six years to challenge a claim. A good rule of thumb is to keep all tax returns and supporting documentation for seven years.
·         Keep credit card statements for seven years if tax related expenses are documented.
·         Keep paycheck stubs for one year. Be sure to cross reference the paycheck stub to the W-2 form.
·         Be sure to keep bank statements and cancelled checks for at least one year.
·         Bills should kept for one year or until the cancelled check has been returned. Receipts for large ticket items should be kept for insurance purposes.
·         Home improvement receipts should be kept for six years or permanently.
·         Items such as birth certificates, social security cards, insurance policies, titles or wills should be kept permanently in a safety deposit box.
·         If you are going to dispose of documents with sensitive information, be sure to SHRED!
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