If you’re considering identity theft protection, now is the time to buy a shredder for your home and start destroying documents that contain personal information.  It’s not illegal for another person to go through your garbage, which makes it easy for anyone to get their hands on papers you’ve tossed.

What type of documents are we talking about?  Anything with a credit card number on it, for one – credit card receipts that you have from restaurants or things you’ve printed out from buying online.  Anything that might contain your social security number is a good candidate for shredding.   You should even shred documents (including junk mail) that contain passwords, PINs, date of birth, signatures that can be copied or account numbers.   Other things you might not think of include:  expired passports and visas, resumes, used airline tickets, medical paperwork, utility bills, pay stubs and ATM receipts. 

Crucial documentation (birth certificates, social security cards, marriage licenses, copies of wills, records from the military, divorce papers, etc) should avoid the garbage and be contained in a safe, inconspicuous place. 

Happy shredding!