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PAPER DESTRUCTION!

Most identity fraud comes through human carelessness. It is hard to imagine anyone willing to go through trash receptacles to garner information with which to rob us. But it does happen.

One woman I know saves bacon grease to pour over these items when she dumps them. Another puts hers into bags of cat litter. For most of us, these still don't seem safe enough.

Everyone knows about paper shredders. What many don't know is that these can be quite reasonably priced. A quick check at Amazon finds prices ranged from just under $30 and up to more than $200.

The lower-priced shredders were the single shred kind that shred paper in thin strips. Theoretically, these strips can be pieced together to reconstruct all information.

Realistically, if one just keeps shredding until the bin below is full, dumps the shreds into a bag or other container and then gives the shreds a thorough "stir" and a real shake up, it seems that only the most dedicated thief would take the time for reconstruction.

The higher-end shredders not only handle more paper at a time, but also shred it so that reconstruction is virtually impossible. For a business with a great amount of paper to process or even a person who wishes to be ultra careful, the higher prices (some in the $70 range) probably are worth it. Some of the high-end models will also shred those annoying sample credit cards that come in the mail.

Ebay, by the way, had even lower prices, and also offered a few hand-held models if there are only a few documents. Those were priced from $1 to $14. Regular shredders with a basket-type base ranged from $20-$140. One offer today for a shredder that also chopped credit cards began at $22.00. Ebay, of course, is an auction house so prices can go up from the starting bid. They do have "buy now" offers that fequently are worth doing at a set price.

Getting rid of shredded paper is not difficult. Here, the recycling center accepts it. So does a local vet who gives it away when cats are neutered and cannot use litter boxes for a week or two. Most animal shelters accept it for bedding.

A friend whose family had a huge garden bought a fine shredder and mixed the shreds into the compost heap. Plastic credit cards, of course, could not be composted, but everything from paper junk mail to ordinary used household paper and even newspaper worked well so long as she added a good mixture of leaves, soil, grass clippings and household garbage.

The other method of destroying paper, incineration, is total, but not possible for all of us. I suspect a few farmers still burn their own trash, and I know one woman who lives in an apartment building that has an incinerator. Most of us have burn ban restrictions.

The doctor a niece works for found one way to incinerate sensitive documents. He burns everything in his fireplace. The people who work in this office also bring all of their papers, either shredded or not, to add to his stash.

Another friend cuts energy costs by also having a wood stove. He burns all papers and doesn't mind if friends bring in items.

One note on burning papers...just do actual paper. Plastic, including even a small credit card, stinks to high heaven while it melts. For those, I think the best solution still is cutting them into really small pieces, putting a few in your current trash and keeping the rest in a cup or other receptacle to add to your trash in the weeks to come.

Sounds annoying and time consuming, right? I know five people who have lived through identity fraud. This takes months and months to get bank accounts, credit cards, insurances, social secutiry and other information back on tradk. Shreeding or burning takes some time on a daily/weekly basis, but the stress count goes way down.

Learn more about this author, Margaret Shauers.
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