These Are The Important Documents You Should Never Toss In The Trash

Unfortunately, once your trash is taken away, it is legal for anyone to take. So, if you throw out any documents with important personal information, it is easy for people to steal it. Prevent identity theft by shredding these documents before you get rid of them.

Here are some documents you need to shred if you are getting rid of them.

1. Boarding passes

Anything with your name, travel plans, and any other important information from an airline needs to be shredded. The code on your boarding pass could reveal your frequent-flier number if you have one and crooks could steal your account identity.

2. Prescription labels

These labels will contain important information about the drugs you are taking, your pharmacy and contain your name and possibly address or other details about you. You don’t want thieves getting ahold of your prescription information.

3. Receipts

Any receipts you don’t save, please shred them. Credit card purchases can reveal your signature and/or digits of your credit card. Crooks can use these to figure out your credit card number and buy things on your dime.

4. Pet medical papers

Pet medical papers and receipts may contain your personal information but they also reveal your pet’s name. Many people use their pet’s names for passwords, so experienced hackers can easily find out your login information.

5. Extra birth or home announcements

These announcements can contain private information that you want your family to know about, but not crooks. If someone asks for your child’s social security number to send them money, don’t do it. Social security numbers are not needed for bonds or savings accounts set up for newborns.

6. Resumes

Resumes often contain personal information like your name, phone number, address, email address and place of work. Pretty convenient for someone who wants to steal your identity. Make sure to shred any copies you don’t use and ask employers to do the same.

Did you realize that you should shred all of these documents? Can you think of any additional examples of documents you should shred to avoid identity theft?

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