Data Security: How To Keep Your Personal Information Safe In 2020

Your confidential information is all over the place. It’s kept digitally for a certain amount of time, and on paper, also for a certain amount of time. Companies who keep your information have to stay up to date with the rules and regulations of keeping your data safe and destroying the data when the company no longer needs it. Data encryption, being careful who you share your information with, and making sure you are not taken in by a scam are ways to protect digital information. However, many people still use paper to store information, and it is just as important that you, and businesses you share your information with, know how to dispose of confidential information.

Why Is It Important to Protect Your Personal Information?

If an unsavory character gets his or her hands on your personal information, that person can get medical care in your name, open credit accounts in your name or even change deeds and titles to homes and cars. Identity theft protection comes in many forms, and you should take advantage of all that you can. Once someone steals your identity, it is difficult to repair the damage it does to your financial reputation and even your personal reputation. Meanwhile, life goes on and bill collectors are looking for payment — and many don’t really care that you had your accounts wiped out — they just want their money.

You might think that one piece of information, such as your address, doesn’t matter, but it could be the one piece of information an identity thief needs to create an entire profile to get access to your life.

How to Keep Your Personal Data Secure

Document shredding is one way to keep your personal data secure. Hard drive shredding is another way. You might not think about it, but you have a lot of personal information that is stored on your hard drive. And, if you think you destroyed your hard drive, you probably didn’t. You can make sure your data doesn’t get into the wrong person’s hands by keeping your personal data secure, including shredding documents and digital media when you no longer need them.

Additional steps to keep your data private include:

• Using only ATM machines that are attached to a bank;

• Notifying your credit card company as soon as you lose your credit card;

• Check your bank and credit accounts every day for unauthorized transactions;

• Always read your mail, and if you are expecting a bill or statement, let the company know if you did not receive it;

• Make sure websites are secure and that they are the real thing before you enter your personal information;

• If you believe you have good credit, but you are denied credit because you have “bad credit,” investigate that – someone could have used your social security number to open accounts; and

• Check your credit report at least once every month. Many agencies have free credit reports.

How to Keep Your Data Private

Always shred personal information and digital media storage when you no longer need it. Shred America has several options, including mobile shredding, drop-off points, one-time shredding and pick-up services for your documents. Our reviewers like the quick service we provide, even if you have a one-time shredding project. Regardless of which service you prefer, we’ll schedule your shredding project as soon as possible so you can keep your data private.

Contacting Shred America for Shredding Services

Contact Shred America today to set up an appointment for one-time shredding services, or to set up a schedule for our mobile truck to visit you on a set schedule, whether it is monthly, weekly, bi-yearly or quarterly.