Having your private information stolen from you can not only cost you money, but can lead to a lot of anxiety and stress. According to research from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, American businesses lose roughly $24 billion ever year due to information theft.
In today’s technologically driven society, one would probably assume that it is incredibly common to have personal information stolen off the Internet. This is actually false; online exchanges only represent less than 10% of identity theft cases. Information stored on paper accounts for many more information loss cases than the Internet does.
Research shows that roughly 95% of business information is stored on paper. Many identity thieves can gain access to your information by finding unshredded documents in the garbage containing sensitive information.
To prevent your business from having to deal with information theft, investing in a document shredding company is a great option to pursue. Here are some things to keep in mind when looking for paper shredding services.
Why Document Shredding Services are Useful:
- Paper shredding is an effective and easy way to keep personal and business information safe, confidential and secure. Not only does shredding paper protect your sensitive information from being read by others, but shredding paper can free up office space and reduce the risk of fires. In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency reports that roughly 80% of paper mills in the United States are specifically designed to use the paper that is collected in shredding and recycling programs. It’s a win, win, win situation.
- On site shredding services help you to go through your messy paper trail and figure out what documents can be destroyed. In addition, many shredding services will work to make sure you have secure document storage. For secure document storage, many shredding companies will scan paper files into your computer for you.
- Don’t just settle on hiring the first shredding service you find. See if you can talk to any staff members and ask them about their expertise in the field. You want to not only see if they are knowledgeable, but if you feel comfortable enough with them to trust them with your secure information.
- Hiring a shredding service doesn’t have to empty your wallet. Find a company whose prices work within your budget or see if they can set up a payment plan for you.
From secure document storage to eliminating a messy paper trail, shredding companies offer some great services to keep you safe from information or identity theft. Have you ever hired a shredding company? Let us know in the comments below! More info like this.
