Almost everyone has the image of executives or government officials frantically shredding incriminating documents late into the night. In fiction and nonfiction alike, the shredder enables all kinds of cover-ups, and rightly so. Their ability to conceal sensitive materials has brought them into individual homes as well to protect personal documents. Shredders come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but cross cut paper shredders protect against identity theft by breaking documents up more than some other shredders.
Simply stated, paper shredders are tasked with cutting up a document in such a way that others will find it difficult or impossible to recreate. This just increases the difficulty of using the documents. Looking at shredders in this simplified way helps highlight the differences in the types of shredders on the market.
Strip cut shredders just cut documents up into straight lines, hence the name. This does make it difficult to reassemble, but not for a very determined criminal. This is especially true since most of the shreds from a document will stay in the same general area, making the puzzle pieces easier to find.
Cross cut shredders use blades that cut perpendicular to each other, resulting in smaller pieces. In other words, these shredders add another layer of randomness. Each page is reduced to hundreds of square or diamond-shaped fragments, which means a lot more work for would-be identity thieves.
Some government agencies and businesses use more sophisticated methods of shredding. They purchase machines that pretty much reduce the paper to pulp or to particles so small that they can never be reconstructed. However, these tools are out of the price range of most individuals.
Still, now more than ever, individuals should take heed of the warnings about information security. With such big sums at stake, criminals are willing to do a little extra work to get at others' private information. It may seem crazy to most people, but "dumpster diving" has become more common. Basically, with a little luck, a criminal can hit it big with just a few details about an individual. As long as this is the case, the risk will remain.
In fact, the risks of allowing personal details to fall into the hands of criminals is increased by technology. While it helps us in a number of ways, it has also provided scanners with the ability to analyze images of shredded materials and put them back together. This obviously makes an identity theft's work much easier. With this in mind, proper and thorough shredding is even more important than ever.
Storing and using personal information online remains a concern, as some criminal organizations have focused more on hacking into databases online. These cases have been widely reported on in the media, and rightly so. However, we should not forget that how we deal with the paper trail we create is just as important. One element of this is safely disposing of mail and correspondence that contain personal data. Cross cut paper shredders help protect against identity theft and do a part in safeguarding your personal information.
Simply stated, paper shredders are tasked with cutting up a document in such a way that others will find it difficult or impossible to recreate. This just increases the difficulty of using the documents. Looking at shredders in this simplified way helps highlight the differences in the types of shredders on the market.
Strip cut shredders just cut documents up into straight lines, hence the name. This does make it difficult to reassemble, but not for a very determined criminal. This is especially true since most of the shreds from a document will stay in the same general area, making the puzzle pieces easier to find.
Cross cut shredders use blades that cut perpendicular to each other, resulting in smaller pieces. In other words, these shredders add another layer of randomness. Each page is reduced to hundreds of square or diamond-shaped fragments, which means a lot more work for would-be identity thieves.
Some government agencies and businesses use more sophisticated methods of shredding. They purchase machines that pretty much reduce the paper to pulp or to particles so small that they can never be reconstructed. However, these tools are out of the price range of most individuals.
Still, now more than ever, individuals should take heed of the warnings about information security. With such big sums at stake, criminals are willing to do a little extra work to get at others' private information. It may seem crazy to most people, but "dumpster diving" has become more common. Basically, with a little luck, a criminal can hit it big with just a few details about an individual. As long as this is the case, the risk will remain.
In fact, the risks of allowing personal details to fall into the hands of criminals is increased by technology. While it helps us in a number of ways, it has also provided scanners with the ability to analyze images of shredded materials and put them back together. This obviously makes an identity theft's work much easier. With this in mind, proper and thorough shredding is even more important than ever.
Storing and using personal information online remains a concern, as some criminal organizations have focused more on hacking into databases online. These cases have been widely reported on in the media, and rightly so. However, we should not forget that how we deal with the paper trail we create is just as important. One element of this is safely disposing of mail and correspondence that contain personal data. Cross cut paper shredders help protect against identity theft and do a part in safeguarding your personal information.