Secure your information – and your reputation.

Call today to schedule your free data security survey 800 69-Shred or visit us at shredit.com

PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY

Identity theft is the world’s fastest growing form of consumer fraud.

Here’s how you can protect yourself, your company and your customers

from the potentially staggering costs of identity fraud.

Identity Theft Facts

Identity theft was the #1 consumer fraud complaint to the Federal

Trade Commission (FTC) in 2009. They estimate that as many as

9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year.

The Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) Breach Report

recorded more that 222 million potentially compromised

records in 2009.

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the US, costing

victims an estimated $5 billion a year.

According to the ITRC, in 2009, paper-based security breaches

accounted for nearly 26% of known breaches (a 46% increase

from 2008).

According to Ernst & Young’s 2009 Global Information Security

Survey, 85% of executives cited damage to reputation and brand

as the most significant result of a breach.

According to the Ponemon Institute, the average total cost of a data

breach in the U.S. is $6.75 million.

Federal Trade Commission www.ftc.gov

The United States Department of Justicewww.justice.gov

U.S. Department of Education http://www.ed.gov/

U.S. Social Security Administrationwww.socialsecurity.gov

International Association of Financial Crimes Investigatorswww.iafci.org

Privacy Rights Clearinghousewww.privacyrights.org

Identity Theft Clearinghouse www.consumer.gov

Ponemon Institute www.ponemon.org

Identity Theft Resource Centerwww.idtheftcenter.org

Federal Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) includes specific rules regarding the proper disposal of consumer information and records to reduce identity theft.

- The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the federal bank regulatoryagencies, and the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) have issued regulations (the Red Flags Rules) requiring financial institutions and creditors to develop and implement written identity theft prevention programs. The program must provide for the identification, detection, and response to patterns, practices, or specific activities – known as “red flags” – that could indicate identity theft. Enforcement of the program is planned for December 2010, check our website for updates.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the privacy of student education records.

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB Act) protects the privacy of consumer information held by financial institutions and requires companies to give consumers privacy notices that explain the institutions’ information- sharing practices.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires health care organizations to safeguard health information including medical records, patient logs, insurance, billing and other personally identifiable health information.

Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) is intended to enhance corporate responsibility and financial reporting, and to combat corporate and accounting fraud.

US Safe Harbor Program is a voluntary program for US companies that deal with data from European countries.

USA Patriot Act was enacted to deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world, to enhance law enforcement investigator tools, and for other purposes.

State and county Many states and counties have their own legislation to protect personal information. To find out about local legislation that pertains to your organization, visit shredit.com, and look for the Privacy Legislation section in our Resource Center.

Resources:

Privacy LegislationOver the past few years, all levels of government have made privacy protection a priority.

At Shred-it, our business is to ensure that no one knows yours. Identity Theft Prevention Tips

Protect your business

Shred everything on a regular basis. By implementing “shred all” policies, you avoid the risks of human error or poor judgement about what needs to be shredded.

Shred before recycling. Don’t let confidential documents sit unattended in recycling bins.

Create a culture of security. Train all employees in information security best practices to reduce human error. Explain why it’s important, and conduct regular security audits of your office to assess security performance.

Think prevention, not reaction. Instead of just dealing with breaches as they happen, develop preventative approaches that are strategic, integrated and long-term, such as eliminating security risks at the source and permanently securing the entire document lifecycle in every part of your organization.

Shred using a professional service. It’s the only way to ensure there are no security loopholes anywhere in the process.

Protect yourself at home

Be careful with your info. Be aware when you’re giving out personal information, especially on the phone or online.

Safeguard your stuff. Use a locked mailbox, and keep your personal documents in a secure place. Don’t carry personal documents Don’t carry personal documents (passport, Social Security card) that you don’t need on a daily basis.

Don’t leave information behind. Take your receipts when you leave a store or a restaurant.

Check your credit. Take a look at your credit report every year and report problems right away.

Shred to stay secure. Destroy envelopes, return address labels, unwanted receipts, cheques, pre-approved credit card applications and old tax returns.

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Call today to schedule your free data security survey 800 69-Shred or visit us at shredit.com