Paper Shredding Facts
Identity theft is causing more problems for American Citizens than ever before. Today, it’s not just credit card information being fraudulently used; identity theft problems include using victims names and addresses as well as banking information, social security numbers and more.
Shred services should be a critical part of your business and personal life. Documents like unwanted mail, old files, old bank statements and credit card bills, work orders and those containing personal information should be shredded prior to disposal.
Shred Instead provides a cost-effective document shredding service for any size business or residential customer. No matter if your needs are one-time shredding or scheduled shredding, shred it with our onsite mobile service and receive a Certificate of Destruction every time. Our shredding services will help you stay protected all year. All periodic route customers will receive free document collection containers that lock for your protection. With Shred Instead, there’s no costly equipment to purchase or maintain, and no contracts to sign.
Did you know that it is not illegal for people to go through your trash?
In the case of California vs Greenwood, in January 1988. The court of appeals stated:
• The Fourth Amendment does not prohibit the warrantless search and seizure of garbage left for collection outside the curtilage of a home (pages 39-44).
• Criminals can and will search through your garbage for your personal information in order to steal from you. Destroy all personal documents by shredding them before disposal.
History of the Paper Shredder:
The first paper shredder was invented by Abbot Augustus Low from Piercefield, New York. Mr. Low’s patent was for a waste paper receptacle to offer a more compact method of disposing waste paper. The patent was filed on February 2, 1909 and was approved on August 31,1909. Mr. Low’s waste paper receptacle never manufactured.
In 1935, Adolf Ehinger’s manufactured the first paper shredder. It functioned like a hand crank pasta maker. Some believe the paper shredder was made to shred Mr. Ehinger’s anti Nazi propaganda.
In 1959, the hand crank was eventually replaced with a motor and the shredding machines were sold to the government and financial institutions. Mr. Ehinger’s company still manufactures paper shredding machines today as EBA Krug & Priester GmbH & Co. in Balingen.
What Started the Concern:
It was once uncommon for documents to be shredded by non-government entities. Until the mid 1980’s when a 1984 Supreme Court decision was delivered concerning information that was seized in a defendants trash can without a warrant. The case was California v. Greenwood.
It was determined that the Fourth Amendment does not prohibit the warrantless search and seizure of garbage left for collection outside of a home. This new concern started the awareness of personal information, thrown away, is a personal liability.
The United States Federal Trade Commission estimates that more than 9 million cases of identity theft take place per year. The federal government recommends that individuals defend themselves against identity theft by shredding financial documents before disposal. In fact, privacy laws like FACTA, HIPAA and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act are requiring companies to properly destroy personal documents to avoid the unauthorized disclosure of personal information, which now carries both civil and criminal implications.
What documents should not be shredded?
• Birth Certificates
• Marriage Licenses
• Divorce Papers
• Death Certificates
• Military Records
• Social Security Cards
• Copies of Wills
