BBB Offers Free On-Site Document Shredding and Identity Theft Prevention Tips
For Immediate Release – The Better Business Bureau (BBB) and it's partners will hold their annual Secure Your ID Day on Saturday, April 20, in Solon. Residents and small businesses are encouraged to attend the event and
take a key step in identity protection by shredding and properly disposing of their sensitive paper documents as well as CDs and floppy discs. (See event flyer here).
“Properly destroying documents that carry information you don’t want getting into the hands of crooks is an important first step to fighting identity theft,” said BBB President, David Weiss. “That’s why BBB experts will also be on hand offering important advice and simple steps everyone can take to prevent ID theft in their daily lives, both online and off.”
In 2011, 8.1 million Americans became victims of ID theft, resulting in the loss of $37 billion, according to a report from Javelin Strategy and Research. Despite the drop in instances from 2009, those who suffered from identity theft last year faced higher consequences, the study found. The average out-of-pocket loss nearly doubled, going from $387 to $631 per incident.
BBB Event Details
When: Saturday, April 21, 2013, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Where: RadAir Complete Car Care, 6221 Som Center Ave. Solon, Ohio 44139 (Rad Air is located next to Sears) and RadAir Complete Car Care, 27051 Detroit Rd., Westlake, 44145
Bring up to three boxes or bags of documents to be shredded and take home the tips and resources you need to help protect yourself. Documents to be shredded should be removed from binders, but staples, paper clips, CDs and floppy discs are okay to be shredded.
As the result of two nationwide Secure Your ID Days in 2011 alone, BBB helped individuals and small businesses at more than 120 sites across the country shred 2.1 million pounds of sensitive documents—all for free.
“Identity theft is largely a crime of access,” added Weiss. “Our goal here is to make the information less accessible and empower people to be their own first line of defense against identity theft. With community-based BBBs across North America collaborating simultaneously, we’ll have a tremendous coast-to-coast presence that will reach a lot of people and, hopefully, prevent a lot of theft.”
About BBB
BBB is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Businesses that earn BBB accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization’s high standards of ethical business behavior. BBB provides objective advice, free business BBB Business Reviews® and charity BBB Wise Giving ReportsTM, and educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust. To further promote trust, BBB also offers complaint and dispute resolution support for consumers and businesses when there is difference in viewpoints. The first BBB was founded in 1912. Today, 122 BBBs serve communities across the U.S. and Canada, evaluating and monitoring more than 3 million local and national businesses and charities. Please visit www.cleveland.bbb.org for more information about BBB.
