This year over nine million people will become victims of identity theft. Don’t be one of them!

Did you know that trash is public property? According to a 1988 Supreme Court ruling, anyone has the right to go through your trash without your permission. A bit scary, don’t you think?

When you put a piece of paper in the trash it can be difficult to know what happens to it. Since few people burn trash anymore, it is likely that your trash passes through several stages on its way to a landfill or incinerator. Every step that occurs once the trash leaves your control has risk that someone will find personal information they can use to cause you harm.

One way to safeguard personal information is to shred it before it goes into the trash.

Join AARP in Los Angeles at our next Shred-A-Thon at the AARP Lakewood Office on Thursday, October 1 from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. located at 3200 Carson St., Lakewood, CA 90712

Because of all the scams affecting communities across the United States, AARP developed a program called AARP’s Fraud Watch Network, a free service and workshops available to people of all ages to help protect families against identity theft, scams and investment fraud.

The United States Federal Trade Commission estimates that more than 9 million cases of identity theft take place per year. To put that into perspective there is a 1 in 33 chance you’ll have your identity stolen within the next year. Which means that shredding personal documents, including old bank statements, canceled checks, credit card offers, and any paperwork containing account numbers and Social Security numbers, is highly recommended to help protect against identity theft.

What:   Shred-A-Thon from 8 am – 4 pm. Fraud Watch Network Workshop from 11:30 am -1 pm

When & Where: Thursday, October 1 ^st, 2015. 200 Carson St., Lakewood, CA 90712

RSVP: Please reserve your spot by calling 1-877-926-8300 or by going to aarp.cvent/AARPCASherdFWN2015

AARP is arming Americans with the tools they need to spot and avoid fraud and scams so they can protect themselves and their families. To receive information about the latest scams and prevention tips as well as access to resources from a network of experts directly in your inbox,  sign up for the Fraud Watch Network newsletter, a free resource to help you protect yourself and your family from identity theft and scams. You will also receive a scam tracking map featuring warnings from local law enforcement and first-hand accounts of breaking scams from people in your state.

For more information on AARP Fraud Watch Network please go to www.aarp.org/FraudWatchNetwork.

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