In the new year, it’s a good idea to add identity theft protection measures to your resolutions to make 2012 your best year ever. The following is adapted from the Identity Theft Resource Center website:
1. Lock up your social security card! Get it out of your wallet! Put this valuable card, along with all other important personal documents, in a safe, locked box or safety deposit box.

2. Don’t share your Social Security Number (SSN) unnecessarily. Ask questions: Why do you need it? What happens if I don’t give it to you? Who gets to see it? What are you going to do with it? Legitimate reasons to provide your SSN are limited including: verifying identity for employment; establishing new lines of credit; government benefit programs; and tax purposes.
3. Order your credit reports! Go to www.annualcreditreport.com or call 877-322-8228 to obtain your free credit reports.
4. Consider investing in a locked mailbox. Additionally, make it a habit to take out-going mail to the post office and stop using your “come steal me” red flag.
5. Take the time to place passwords on all your accounts and change the old ones. This includes bank accounts, investment accounts, money markets, credit cards, etc. Be creative and use something that is not easily guessed by someone who may know you. A good verbal password is NOT the last four digits of your SSN, your mother’s maiden name, your pet’s name or kid’s birthdays. A random word, not associated with you or your life, is highly recommended.
6. Limit the amount of personal information you share online. If you don’t want it publicized – don’t put it online!
7. Be a savvy online shopper! Check out the merchant and make sure they are legit. Protect your information online by using a secure payment agent – a security product which allows a consumer to control the use of their personal identifying information whether shopping, paying bills online, or registering at websites. Install security and malware software to protect your computer and update it frequently.
8. Monitor any and all account statements carefully. Don’t wait three months to balance your check book or open your mail! React quickly if you notice any discrepancies.
9. Guard all checks and deposit slips as you would your precious jewelry. In the wrong hands, these account numbers can be even more valuable than handfuls of cash! When making out checks, use specially formulated gel ink pens, developed to defeat check washing.
10. SHRED ALL PAPERWORK WITH PERSONALLY IDENTIFYING INFORMATION–contact HV Shred for how to make that easy and cost effective

Maybe you got a new piece of technology for Christmas or Hanukah—enjoy! So you can keep enjoying your new gadget in 2012 and beyond (hopefully it doesn’t become obsolete too quickly…), please take precautions to make sure you are using the device safely. Firewalls are important as well as regularly updating anti-virus, anti-spyware, and anti-phishing software. Set up strong passwords with upper- and lower-case letters, numerals, and symbols like #, &, and $. Make sure your smart phone, iPad, other mobile devices, and portable flash drives containing personal data have security applications and encryption in case they’re lost or stolen. And best wishes to make 2012 your best year ever!

More information about protectiing your identity is always available at hvshred.com

According to a recent on-line article posted on The Consumer Reports website, the typically free protections still provide the most effective avenues to identity theft protection.

Banks and credit-card companies are the largest providers of identity protection services, a market with $3.5 billion in revenues for 2011, according to a recent report by Javelin Strategy and Research, a California financial services industry consulting firm. Other major providers include the credit reporting bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—and independent vendors such as Debix, LifeLock, and Trusted ID.

Consumer Reports generally doesn’t put much stock in identity theft protection services, because they tend to focus on new-account fraud, when 86 percent of ID fraud involves something else—existing accounts. And these services can cost you $120 to $300 a year for many protective measures that you can take yourself for free.

But Javelin found evidence that ID protection and credit-monitoring services are effective at reducing the amount of fraud losses. Among 439 victims of ID fraud surveyed by Javelin in an annual survey, the average amount stolen was $4,607. But victims who learned of the crime through their subscriptions to ID protection or credit monitoring services saw only $3,363 filched.

Still, the Javelin survey also found that other—typically free—protections were even more effective:

Bank safeguards. Victims who discovered the crime when their bank or credit card provider notified them of suspicious activity saw only $2,861 stolen.

Electronic self-monitoring. Victims who found the theft through their own self-monitoring of accounts via the Internet and ATMs, saw losses of $2,791.

Checking paper account statements. And people who uncovered the fraud by simply reviewing their old-fashioned paper account statements saw only $2,195 taken.

Shredding and recycling confidential paperwork is the most secure and environmentally friendly way to protect your hard copy personally identifying information. Visit hvshred.com for more information.

Year-end is that time when businesses large and small often take a closer look at line by line expenses and consider opportunities to stream-line costs and get more out of every dollar in the upcoming year.

Outsourcing shredding service is one such opportunity to increase productivity and beef up the bottom line. After all, in order for a small business to grow and succeed, it needs to achieve a balance between reinvesting profits to meet growth benchmarks while maintaining certain cash reserves. That challenge can create a mindset of constantly economizing and trying to reduce outside expenditures. Yet, some third party expenses can be so beneficial to the overall health of your company that they bear consideration. In other words, the return on investment is great enough to make the expense worthwhile.

One area where the profitability or ROI of using a third party resource is worth such consideration is document destruction and shredding. Compliance legislation mandates that even the smallest businesses need to adhere to certain practices in terms of record-keeping and the destruction of confidential personal information. With that in mind, ask yourself, “How is my business handling the destruction of such information?”

One common answer is to handle document shredding in-house. At first glance, that solution certainly seems to be the easiest. You can simply station shredders at certain location points throughout the office and instruct personnel to shred confidential information. Is it really cost effective?

For as little as $50 per month, HV Shred can take all the hassle, frustration, and anxiety out of properly destroying confidential information. If you are paying staff as little as $10 per hour and shredding about 1 box of copy paper per week, you are already paying over $40 per month–since most office shredders are limited to about 10 sheets per minute. Factor in sorting out paper clips and staples, clearing jams, or just waiting for the shredder to cool down for the next load, the costs really add up.

Owner operated and ON-SITE, HV Shred provides the most secure option for document destruction. For more information on a customized service program, contact judith@hvshred.com. It just makes sense…

First of all, our best wishes to all for a Happy Thanksgiving!

Now, our annual public service reminder to shop safely over the holidays:

Many people will be using their credit cards more during the holiday season. This creates increased risk for identity theft. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you do your shopping:

* Empty your wallet. Only carry what you really need. Get rid of extra cards and absolutely any Social Security Cards.
* Keep a close eye on your mail. Statements and invoices you don’t recognize are a red flag for fraud.
* Check you credit card statements closely. It is easy to do frequently online.
* Shred all of the credit card offers that come in the mail.
* If you shop online make sure the site is secure (has an https at the start of the address bar).

Once again, at HV Shred, we thank you for your continued support and hope the season brings you good times with friends and family.

For more information on how HV Shred can help ease the worries and hassle of identity theft, visit www.hvshred.com

This week is the final part of our three part series on things to check when shopping for Identity Theft Services. 

Again, this checklist was developed by the CFA’s ID Theft Service Best Practice Working Group (which includes identity theft service providers and consumer advocates) to help Americans look for identity theft services that follow good practices.   The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) is an association of non-profit consumer organizations that was established in 1968 to advance the consumer interest through research, advocacy, and education.

Here are the final 3 tips about what to check when shopping for Identity Theft Services:

(1) Is the cost of the service provided before you are asked for your payment information? If the answer is no, steer clear! Identity theft service providers that follow good practices will make clear and complete information about the cost of their programs available before you are asked for your name, address, and payment information.

(2) Does the service have a clear, transparent privacy policy? If the answer is no, steer clear! Identity theft services collect personal information from or about individuals for many purposes, including verifying their identities, processing payments, providing lost wallet and monitoring services, helping to resolve fraud problems, and marketing. Identity theft service providers that follow good practices post clear, transparent privacy policies on their Web sites and make that information available from their customer service representatives so that you can easily learn what types of personal information they collect, how they use that information, what types of information, if any, they share with others, and what control you have over the collection and use of your personal information.

(3) If the identity theft service offers insurance or a guarantee, is it clear what is covered and who is eligible? If the answer is no, steer clear! Identity theft service providers that follow good practices should make it easy to find information on their Web sites and through their customer service representatives about exactly what the insurance or guarantee does for you and in what situations. For instance, if it reimburses you for expenses related to resolving identity theft problems, the identity theft service provider should explain what types of expenses are included, whether there are limits to how much you can get or other restrictions, and what’s required to make a claim. Identity theft service providers should also tell you if things aren’t included that you might expect the insurance or guarantee to cover. For example, if you won’t be reimbursed for money stolen by identity thieves, or you’re not covered for identity theft that is committed by a family member, that information should be easy to find and clearly explained.

Being proactive is the best way to deter, detect, and defend against Identity Theft.  HV Shred can help with on-site shredding service for your obsolete paperwork.  Visit www.hvshred.com for more information.