‘Shred Fest 2016’ Helps Treasure Valley Consumers Avoid Risk of Identity Theft

As part of its ongoing efforts to help consumers avoid falling victim to identity theft, AARP Idaho is joining with the Boise Police Department to sponsor “ Shred Fest 2016” – an event to provide free shredding of personal financial documents and other sensitive records.

The Shred Fest will be held on Wednesday, April 27th at City Hall West in Boise and is available to everyone...AARP member or not. Shredding services begins at 10:00 a.m., and will continue until 1:00 p.m., or until the on-site shredding service trucks reach full capacity. Click  HERE for directions. There is no limit but shredding services are for personal documents only. No businesses please.

This event is 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.

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.

And for those consumers who use a home shredder, experts also recommend the use of a micro-cut model.  Tests have shown that the scraps of paper from a straight or cross-cut shredder can be reassembled by identity thieves.  With a micro-cut shredder, the paper is rendered into impossible-to-reassemble debris.

For more information or questions email aarpid@aarp.org