How Paper Shredding Can Save the Environment

Business owners are aware of the need to protect financial and personal information. Hiring a professional shredding service to handle document destruction is the best way to ensure company security is maintained, yet this also works toward community services. Not many realize it, but mobile shredding contributes to the improvement of the environment through recycling materials, so many benefit.

How Shredding Contributes to Green Living

When you consider how recycled paper and similar material is used to make new products, you may think this is a small step toward a greater good. However, the reuse of such goods means much more than a simple renewal of old paper into new paper – the more businesses recycle, the more money is saved and the more natural resources are preserved. For example:

• We save water – Billions of gallons of water are used annually in new paper production. The more we use recycled goods can reduce that number greatly, so water is preserved or used toward other things.
  
• We save trees – Naturally, the more we reuse items, the less need for turning to timber to make new paper. Trees continue to grow.
  
• We reduce landfills – The less we throw things away for good, the less garbage takes up space in landfills.
  
• We increase cleaner air – Lowered production means less carbon dioxide and air pollution, and more trees mean cleaner air is made.
  

When you think about it, clearing the office to shred documents does more than give you space and peace of mind, it contributes to making the world a better place.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on Virginia Beach shredding.

Tips to Prevent Identity Theft

These days, it isn’t unusual to hear stories about people who have had their identities stolen, credit ratings trashed, and reputations put at risk. The Internet, unfortunately, provides a forum for making identity theft easier and more expedient. However, there is no need to panic, for one can take measures to decrease the possibility of this happening to you. Common sense and vigilance are the keys to keeping your identity – and consequently your finances and future – safe.

Good Steps to Take to Prevent ID Theft

If you are concerned about private, sensitive information being exposed for thieves to use against you, there are things you can do to maintain your security, especially on the Web. Here are a few suggestions for keeping your ID your own.

Shred Important Documents and Receipts: Once you are finished with invoices, credit card statements and anything else that has personal or financial information, make sure it is shredded thoroughly. But watch for personal shredders, because even the craftiest white collar criminal can piece together strips. Look in your area for community shredding events, where professionals will take your paperwork and shred it with an industrial strength machine.

Be Careful When Shopping Online: Buying products and services via the Internet may be easy, but if you give credit card information over an insecure website you risk exposing that information to hackers. Look for the lock icon on your browser when you shop, and only make purchases from sites you trust. If you receive e-mail newsletters from vendors, be wary of clicking through to websites unless you have opted-in to a specific mailing. Many times scam artists disguise e-mails to look like a legitimate company advertising to you. Sometimes hovering your mouse over the links will reveal a dubious address.

Change Passwords Periodically: If you are the type to use the same password for a multitude of protected websites, consider mixing it up a little, and changing your password from time to time. Do not use a password closely associated with you – children’s names, phone number, etc. – that somebody could figure out.

Give as Little Information on Yourself as Possible: Social media is a popular trend right now, with millions of people using Facebook and Twitter to connect to friends. If you feel the need to be social, don’t give out too much information about yourself. Use an e-mail address with a gender neutral ID and try not to volunteer geographical information if you can.

For more tips on Internet identity safety, the Electronic Frontier Foundation is a good source, and the site of the Federal Trade Commission offers good tips for consumers and businesses. The more you know, the better you can protect yourself, and your identity.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on Norfolk shredding and Virginia Beach jobs.

Why Companies Should Contract out Shredding Services

It is estimated that the average American office worker uses over a hundred pounds of paper annually for various tasks. When you think about a company of a hundred employees, you realize that's ten thousand pounds of paper! One can only guess how many Social Security numbers, payroll designations, legal documents, and other important notes are printed and passed around a building in one year.

As companies turn to greener options like increased utilization of e-mail and word processing documents, the need to store excess paper is certain to fade. Yet, to simple dump everything in the trash poses risks to corporate and personal security, so the best option for cleaning house is to start shredding.

Should a company handle document shredding in-house? Believe it or not, there are risks associated with that as well. By hiring a licensed, bonded contractor to shred your business papers, you can save your company money and time and maintain productivity. Here's how:

Employee production remains on company work. Say you have half a ton of back-logged documents to shred. To take a worker off his current task and move him to something else slow production. Contracting a professional shredding service eliminates the need to restructure.

In-house security leaks are reduced. As an employer, you are certain you have hired trustworthy people to help run your business. Placing one person in charge of shredding private documents, however, grants him access to information that may not be his to know. To prevent possible leaks, hiring an outside company is the better solution.

Safety measures must be recognized. Depending on the type of shredder you plan to use in-house, your company could be held liable if an employee has an accident. Somebody inexperienced in mass shredding could get hurt if clothing gets caught in a machine. A professional shredding service, with workers trained in the field, reduces this risk.

A professional shredder completes the job. Say you have a large amount of paper to shred. Removing employees from their work to take care of it could lead to problems with the actual destruction of the documents. Somebody may thing the job too arduous and boring and might not shred as well as needed, thereby allowing important information to be found and abused. Using a professional shredding service ensures the job is done correctly.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on Norfolk document shredding and local PPC advertising.

What Office Documents Can and Should be Shredded

If you run a business, chances are the need to destroy certain documents will arise. As some printed information becomes obsolete and clutters space, employing a professional shredding service not only protects your company from possible identity theft, but it can preserve the environment through safe recycling measures. The question of which documents to shred may be argued among administrators, though for some it isn't difficult to ascertain. In fact, you may be required to destroy specific papers under penalty of law.

The improper destruction of outdated and time sensitive data may put a company at risk of violating certain employment laws, including the Privacy Act, the Economic Espionage Act, and may constitute a breach in contracts between employers and their companies. Therefore it is important to be aware of the types of paperwork that should be thoroughly shredded to protect private information. Suggested information includes the following:

Accounting Data: Banking information and documents, cancelled checks, copies of checks, billing information, and payroll data.

Notes: Internal office memos, meeting notes (even the smallest of Post-Its with important info!), visitor logs, drafts of letters and proposals, phone messages.

Personal Information: Social Security numbers, obsolete employee records, expired employee contracts, customer database information, education records.

Sales Information: Shipping data, old receipts, supplier information, purchase orders, anything that would have payment or credit information attached.

The more you have that can be traced to any kind of credit card or banking information, the more should be destroyed when the information is no longer applicable to your work. To hang on to important data such as this puts the privacy of not only your company at risk, but any third-party vendor or supplier who has done business with you. It doesn't take much for an identity thief to capture what he needs to cause trouble, so a thorough look at your office's paperwork is necessary for overall safety.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on Virginia Beach shredding services and Virginia Beach used cars.

Why Medical Businesses Must Adhere to HIPAA Regulations

Actress Farrah Fawcett is known for her television and film roles, but recently she made headlines when it was discovered that information about her health problems had been sold to the tabloids. While it can be argued that a celebrity yields the right to some privacy, the act of selling Ms. Fawcett's medical information to a third party violated a Federal law. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was passed in 1996 to prevent unauthorized access to patient information, and it is something by which all medical-related businesses should abide.

Who Recognizes HIPAA?

If you work for a company that collects health information from individuals, you are what HIPPA calls a "covered entity", and as such you must abide by this law. Covered entities include the following:

• Hospitals and clinics
• Insurance Companies dealing with health and medical policies
• Private Practices - General practitioners and specialists, dentists, chiropractors, etc.
• Psychiatrists and Psychologists
• Medical Billing Centers and Collection Agencies

Whether you have two people are two hundred working in the office, the security of patient information is important.

Data Protected by HIPAA

Patients visiting a clinic or hospital should be assured of discretion. It's imperative for all employees to make sure sensitive data is not compromised and exposed to unauthorized people. Medical information protected by these Federal laws include and are not limited to:

• Prescription Information
• Medical History Records
• Appointment Logs
• Phone and Voice Mail Message Notes
• Insurance Forms and Claims
• Billing Information

Adhering to HIPAA Standards

When patient information is outdated or no longer necessary, the paperwork should be destroy so as to protect that patient's right to privacy. Any company or organization complying with HIPAA regulations should be prepared to destroy documents accordingly. Every sticky note, every printout needs to be shredded thoroughly. Simply throwing away papers does not guarantee security - as any unscrupulous person could sift through the garbage and have access to credit card numbers and addresses. Hiring a professional to destroy documents is a good way to ensure your security as well.

Taking care to note the HIPAA regulations applicable to your medical business will give you the peace of mind you need to operate smoothly.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on Virginia Beach shredding companies and Virginia Beach jobs.

Are You at Risk for Identity Theft?

These days, it isn't unusual to hear stories about people who have had their identities stolen, credit ratings trashed, and reputations put at risk. The Internet, unfortunately, provides a forum for making identity theft easier and more expedient. However, there is no need to panic, for one can take measures to decrease the possibility of this happening to you. Common sense and vigilance are the keys to keeping your identity - and consequently your finances and future - safe.

Good Steps to Take to Prevent ID Theft

If you are concerned about private, sensitive information being exposed for thieves to use against you, there are things you can do to maintain your security, especially on the Web. Here are a few suggestions for keeping your ID your own.

Shred Important Documents and Receipts: Once you are finished with invoices, credit card statements and anything else that has personal or financial information, make sure it is shredded thoroughly. But watch for personal shredders, because even the craftiest white collar criminal can piece together strips. Look in your area for community shredding events, where professionals will take your paperwork and shred it with an industrial strength machine.

Be Careful When Shopping Online: Buying products and services via the Internet may be easy, but if you give credit card information over an insecure website you risk exposing that information to hackers. Look for the lock icon on your browser when you shop, and only make purchases from sites you trust. If you receive e-mail newsletters from vendors, be wary of clicking through to websites unless you have opted-in to a specific mailing. Many times scam artists disguise e-mails to look like a legitimate company advertising to you. Sometimes hovering your mouse over the links will reveal a dubious address.

Change Passwords Periodically: If you are the type to use the same password for a multitude of protected websites, consider mixing it up a little, and changing your password from time to time. Do not use a password closely associated with you - children's names, phone number, etc. - that somebody could figure out.

Give as Little Information on Yourself as Possible: Social media is a popular trend right now, with millions of people using Facebook and Twitter to connect to friends. If you feel the need to be social, don't give out too much information about yourself. Use an e-mail address with a gender neutral ID and try not to volunteer geographical information if you can.

For more tips on Internet identity safety, the Electronic Frontier Foundation is a good source, and the site of the Federal Trade Commission offers good tips for consumers and businesses. The more you know, the better you can protect yourself, and your identity.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on Virginia Beach shredding and Virginia web design.

Get the Facts About FACTA for Your Business

For a business to succeed and earn the respect of the community, it should abide by all applicable laws and a strong code of ethics. Word of mouth is the most powerful marketing tool around, and if the word about your company is not good, be warned that clients and customers will take that to heart. In turn, they will take their business, and money, elsewhere. Therefore, it is important to make certain everything in the workplace is done on the level, and that you do your best to reduce opportunity for white collar crimes such as identity theft. This is where FACTA comes into play.

What is FACTA?

FACTA, or the FACT Act, is the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act, signed into Federal law in 2003 for the purpose of cracking down on consumer fraud and identity theft. As such crimes have risen over the last decade, largely a product of Internet fraud and "phishing" scams where people are tricked into handing over sensitive information, FACTA serves to assist businesses with the proper means of protecting clients and employees.

The main things to know about FACTA are:

• Consumer information used by businesses must not only be discarded, but completely destroyed
• FACTA guidelines must be followed by all persons and businesspeople in the United States, regardless of the size of your company and the nature of your work
• Failure to heed to FACTA regulations can result in heavy fines

Observing FACTA Regulations

When the time comes to destroy sensitive information such as customer identity, payroll records, and financial records, "reasonable measures" - as defined in the FACTA Disposal Rule decreed by the Federal Trade Commission - must be taken to ensure security. Perhaps the best way to see to office document destruction is to employ the services of a NAID (National Association for Information Destruction) certified professional to shred paperwork to the point where the information is illegible. When you are ready to rid your workplace of excess paper, consult the available shredding companies near you to confirm if any are aligned with NAID.

As you become more aware of Federal laws designed to protect your business and clients, be prepared to do what you can to provide a safe environment for everyone involved, and success for your business.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on Virginia Beach shredding companies and Richmond condo rentals.

The Risks of In-House Office Shredding

Regardless of the size of your business, whether you manage ten, a hundred, or even more workers, it is important to keep much of your information confidential. As time passes and the need to clear away paperwork rises, you will need to consider destroying document to preserve the security of your company, but is this a job that should be handled in-house? You might think outsourcing the task to a professional shredding company is cost prohibitive, but it can actually save your business time, money, and worry.

Does Everything Get Destroyed?

Say you have an office shredder and use it faithfully. What happens to the documents run through the machine? If you bag everything up and throw it in the trash, don't assume your private information is gone forever. "Dumpster divers" are notorious for their ability to piece together strips of discarded bank statements and other financial papers. In a sense you really aren't throwing anything away, but giving somebody a puzzle where the end result if your business' identity and financial information!

Consider, too, the time involved in shredding. A supervisor or manager wants to trust the people under him with serious tasks, but handling document shredding could pose a security risk in that not everything is properly destroyed. An employee, eager to finish, may be tempted to expedite the job by skipping the shredder on some documents and simply throwing them away. He or she might not think the information is worth the trouble, but as you want them shredded, you know differently.

Should Everything Be Seen?

On the same note, a company manager should think twice about assigning a shredding job to an employee, regardless of his or her work status or clearance level. Even among the most trusted workers, there are documents that shouldn't be seen, and to hand them over poses yet another risk...and not necessarily theft. Privacy laws may be violated if document shredding is done in-office - even if employees aren't exposed to sensitive information, the opportunity is there and that could be used against your business if somebody files a complaint.

Outsourced Shredding Presents a Safe Alternative

Hiring a licensed professional shredding company to destroy your discarded paperwork presents the most economic and secure method of protecting your business. Professional shredders use industrial machines to take on large amounts of paperwork - you might find you produce more than you think - that is commingled with shredding from other jobs. This way, your private information is scrambled and difficult to piece together. Hire a service that recycles the remains, and you have the added benefit of giving back to the environment.

Those who think hiring a company is costly to the business may want to consider this: should even one slip of paper leave your building with enough personal or financial information to cause harm, isn't that costlier? Put the security of your business and its employees first as you decide how to destroy documents. Let a professional service handle the job.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on Virginia Beach document shredding and local PPC advertising.

Top Questions to Ask a Shredding Service

The success of your business lies in the security of your business. Regardless of the size of your workforce, if your company creates a good-sized output of paperwork that should be destroyed after a certain expiration date, it's important to do the job properly. Hiring a professional shredding service to handle the destruction of your sensitive information is an excellent way to ensure any leaks or contract breaches do not happen.

Once you've made the decision to hire a shredding service, the next step is to research your options. Within the business community, you are certain to find good referrals for professional services, and an Internet search for shredders in your area may yield a few online reviews. When you meet with a representative from a company that interests you, however, you will want to know everything possible about how they practice and what they will do for you.

Here are a few questions one should think of asking a service vying for your business:

Do you shred documents on-site? Will you be required to bring paperwork to the business, or do they have a mobile unit that shreds on your property?

Can you watch the actual shredding? This is your company's information, so you want to be certain it is completely gone so identity thieves don't acquire it. Find out if you can watch them at work.

Is there a contract involved? Can you hire a company for a one-time service, or do you need to contract for a definite amount of time, like six months to a year?

Are you bonded and insured? The shredding of sensitive information needs to be handled by trustworthy workers. It is also good to find out if the companies you research are members of NAID, the National Association for Information Destruction. NAID member companies are bound to a code of ethics that assures discretion in document shredding.

Once you get the facts, you can make an informed decision about who will shred your paperwork. Keep the security of your business first and maintain your success.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on Virginia Beach shredding services and Virginia Beach used cars.

Simple Steps for Keeping Your Identity Safe

When it comes to identity theft, probably the most common thing said is, “It could never happen to me.” However, in recent years this country has seen a rise in this particular white collar crime. In 2007, 8.4 million people were reported as being victimized on account of some type of identity fraud. If you truly believe it can’t happen to you…imagine if these millions of people thought the same thing!

The risk of identity fraud can be decreased considerably if you remain vigilant at all times and are careful about your private information and finances. It doesn’t take much for an unscrupulous person to use your name for dubious purposes, but the measure you take to protect your identity can not only help you, but assist in resolving any issues that may arise if you are indeed targeted.

How can you avoid having sensitive, personal data stolen? Here are a few steps you can take to keep your peace of mind.

Carry the minimum amount of personal information with you. It isn’t necessary to keep your Social Security card in your wallet – put it in a safe place at home like a personal safe. If you’re not traveling, try to limit the number of credit cards you carry with you.

Take all receipts with you. When you shop or dine out, make sure you are handed the receipt. Don’t have clerks place receipts in a bag where it could slip away unnoticed. Once you’re finished recording the information, shred what you have.

Check your monthly credit card and banks statements. It is a bad habit to ignore statements as they come in – if you overlook a fraudulent recurring charge, who knows how many months could pass before it’s caught? Check statements every month and look for anomalies. The sooner you do, the sooner you can report them and dispute the charge.

Use a locked mailbox where possible. If you do business for yourself, consider investing in a PO Box where only you have the key. It isn’t difficult for somebody to simply open a standard roadside mailbox and take what’s inside. The less access you give to your mail, the better for your protection.

By knowing what to do and remaining watchful of your spending and records, you can reduce the risk of identity theft.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on Virginia Beach shredding and Virginia Beach jobs.