Most people know they need to shred some documents to protect personal information and prevent identity theft. Aside from the major culprits, like tax info or credit card bills, several other types of documents need shredding to give you peace of mind. With that in mind, the team at UCI Document Solutions is here to talk about document shredding and which documents you should shred.

The whole purpose of shredding documents is to curtail the attempts of white-collar criminals who use them to steal people’s identities to access their resources such as bank accounts and credit or debit cards balances. It is therefore of critical importance that documents are destroyed in such a way that they cannot be retrieved and read. UCI Mobile Document Shredding services ensures this.

Pharmacists are responsible for an extensive amount of record keeping, including records for patients, prescriptions, drug errors, health disclosures, and narcotic receipts. In order to comply with federal legislation, you must retain all documents for the minimum retention period before disposing of them properly.

The National Association for Information Destruction (NAID) is a trade association for companies that offer information destruction services. Equipment, product, and service suppliers for destruction companies are also eligible for membership. The organization promotes the information destruction industry and the ethics and standards that its members uphold.

Almost everyone knows the importance of shredding sensitive materials and documents. Criminals have grown more efficient at stealing valuable information from documents that aren’t properly destroyed. Shredding is one of the best ways to avoid identity theft and ensure your personal information is safe.

Many businesses begin to think about document purging during the winter, especially around the beginning of a new year. This term refers to shredding large amounts of files and documents. Organizing your files and paperwork should be done throughout the year. It can make deciding what to keep and what to shred easier. Document purging helps to protect your staff, customers and clients, and business safe from criminals and violating the law. Having a plan in place, knowing what to shred, and knowing how to shred can make document purging easier.

Wiping a hard drive refers to the process of erasing data from a computer by overwriting it with binary code. There is a popular myth that you must write over data multiple times to make it unrecoverable. In reality, overwriting a drive once offers the same level of protection as overwriting a drive multiple times. Wiping the hard drive is done in instances like selling a computer or disposing of it. But simply wiping the hard drive isn’t enough protection. Someone who is computer savvy enough can retrieve enough data to access your personal information (or confidential client information).

In 2012, identity theft cost Americans $24.7 billion. In 2013, it cost Americans $10 billion more than all other types of property crime combined. Not only does identity theft cripple businesses from a financial perspective but it also compromises their safety. It only takes one stray scrap of paper with just the right information still legible to constitute a data breach that can compromise a sterling reputation and bring about a bevy of legal liabilities.

The well-being and reputation of a company often depends on how it protects its business documents and customers’ privacy. Your business’ and your customers’ paperwork is confidential and private. You don’t want it to get in the wrong hands. One way to protect both parties is by hiring professional document shredding services. But how do you select the right shredding service for your business? As you weigh your options, consider the following factors.

Everything we do in the world today is somehow affected by technology. Technology has made our lives easier and the business we conduct faster. There is no dispute this change in how we are able to perform transactions has made business better. However, there is also no dispute that it poses threats to security. Challenges created by identity thieves and how you are forced to continue protecting the safety of your data is constant. The following are some mistakes made by businesses and how you can prevent them from happening at your company.