Dumpster Diving And Identity Theft: How To Prevent Getting Your Identity Stolen

Industrial & Manufacturing Articles

In 2010, approximately 7% of all American households had at least one member aged 12 and up who experienced at least one type of identity theft. Although identity theft is typically not a problem that most people commonly think about until they become victims, it is important to realize that your dumpster is a goldmine filled with useful information that can be easily used against you. To prevent yourself from being a victim of identity theft, here are 3 tips that you should consider implementing.

Shred All Important Documents and Mail

Even junk mail or credit card bills contain useful information that can help criminals steal your identity. Before throwing away any mail into the dumpster, you want to make sure that you shred all of the important documentation, so that it is in numerous little pieces, and cannot be pieced together easily. You should have a shredder at home for convenience. Some people even go as far as to block out personal and confidential information before shredding the documents in order to ensure that the information is not legible even if the paper is pieced together.

Keep Your Dumpster in the Garage or Someplace Hard to Access

Make sure that your dumpster is not easily accessible by keeping it in the garage or inside the home until garbage day. You want to make sure that the dumpster cannot be easily accessed by others who are passing by. Most professionals recommend keeping the dumpster in a place that is easily seen, and has good lighting if it has to be kept outside in order to deter criminals from going through the dumpster. 

If you have a gated property, keep the dumpster within the gates in order to deter criminals from attempting to get into the dumpster and getting any personal information. If the dumpster is small enough, you may want to find rentals that have wheels installed at the bottom, so that you can make sure that you can easily move the dumpster from one location to another (i.e. from inside the garage to the curb on the days that garbage is being collected). Keeping the dumpster inside the garage where it cannot be accessed is also a good idea if you are worried about pests, like raccoons. 

Put a Lock On a Lid on the Dumpster

If you have to keep the dumpster outside, then make sure that you keep a lid on the dumpster and put a lock on it. You want to invest in a high quality lock in order to prevent the locks from getting cut. Most dumpster rental companies can offer dumpster models that already have locks on them. Some of the more common and popular locking mechanisms on larger dumpsters include a bar-style lock or a gravity lock. Those with smaller dumpsters can just opt for a lock and key. 

Some waste collection companies have also partnered up with dumpster rental companies and will offer you a locking mechanism with a key. This way, the waste collection companies can access the dumpster when they come to collect garbage, and you will never have to leave your dumpster vulnerable.

Conclusion

To make sure that your identity is not stolen, you should consider reading your credit reports often. You have a right to order or request for a copy of your credit report once every 12 months from each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies. Most experts would recommend ordering all three in order to verify all of the information that all three of the credit reporting companies have on you. If you observe any discrepancies or inaccuracies, you will want to notify the credit reporting companies immediately and create an identity theft report with the authorities in order to get all of the fraudulent activities removed from your credit file.

24 February 2015