It's hard to believe but almost all personal documentation can be used by an ID thief to build a false identity. Obviously, certain documentation including bank statements, investment or retirement plan statements, insurance statements or original insurance policies need to be retained and stored in a place safe from snooping eyes. However, even most of these should be discarded after three years.
The following list contains a good sampling of documentation or information, commonly found in a home, that should always be considered for shredding.
When in doubt, ask yourself if you have access to the same documentation or information in another way. If so, shred it.
- Account numbers
- Address labels from junk mail and magazines
- ATM receipts
- Bank statements
- Birth certificate copies (except for one good copy)
- Canceled and voided checks
- Charge receipts
- Credit and charge card bills, carbon copies, summaries and receipts
- Credit applications
- Credit reports and histories
- Documents containing maiden name (used by credit card companies for security reasons)
- Documents containing names, addresses, phone numbers or e-mail addresses
- Documents containing passwords or PIN numbers
- Documents relating to investments
- Driver's licenses or items with a driver's license number
- Employee pay stubs
- Employment records
- Expired charge cards
- Expired credit and identification cards
- Expired passports and visas
- Insurance documents (except original policies)
- Insurance Forms
- Investment, stock and property transactions
- Items with a signature (leases, contracts, letters)
- Legal documents
- Luggage tags
- Medical and dental records
- Papers with a Social Security number
- Passwords and PINs
- Pre-approved credit offers
- Receipts with checking account numbers
- Report cards
- Resumés or curriculum vitae
- Signatures
- Social Security numbers
- Tax forms
- Transcripts
- Travel itineraries
- Used airline tickets
- Utility bills (telephone, gas, electric, water, cable TV, Internet)
Click here for a printable version of this list. Otherwise:
What To Shred At Work