AARP CT, EnviroShred & Department of Consumer Protection Offer Extra Opportunity to Shred Documents

AARP Connecticut, EnviroShred and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection will provide residents who missed the Shred Fest event in Hartford on Sunday, April 24, with an additional opportunity to securely dispose of their personal financial and sensitive documents for free.

Connecticut’s residential citizens can visit the EnviroShred facility in East Hartford between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. from April 25-29 and say “AARP” to receive the free shredding service. EnviroShred is located at 22 Prestige Park Circle in East Hartford between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. They can also make an appointment by calling 860-728-1061 (ext. 253). AARP membership is not required.

The Shred Fest event in Hartford was one of dozens of Shred Fest 2016 events scheduled for communities nationwide, during Money Smart Week^® April 23-30, with support from the AARP Fraud Watch Network and the AARP Foundation . Shred Fest 2016 events are being held in 39 states. Residents of other communities who wish to take advantage of a Shred Fest event may refer to online schedule .

In 2015, Connecticut residents registered 8,078 complaints about identity theft with the Federal Trade Commission. To avoid having your sensitive information compromised, security experts recommend shredding of the following types of materials:

• Old documents:  Papers that carry your Social Security number, birth date, signature, account numbers, passwords or PIN numbers.
• Banking:  Canceled or unused checks. Shred deposit slips and ATM and credit card receipts, once you receive your monthly statements.
• Credit Cards: Preapproved credit card applications and incentive/gift checks from credit card companies.
• Medical: unneeded medical bills.
• Investments: Investment account statements.
• Obsolete ID cards: Expired driver’s licenses, medical insurance cards and passports.

More information on how to keep yourself safe from identity theft fraud, and alerts regarding other types of scams, is available from the Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/FraudWatchNetwork.