In today’s technologically-advanced age, getting ahold of information is often as easy as clicking a few buttons. While this is convenient when we need directions or a cooking recipe, it is dangerous in regards to personal and confidential information. Proper data destruction is crucial to protecting yourself and your clients.
Paper Trails
It’s not uncommon to find stacks of old papers lying around the house. Often, we feel that we need to hold on to all these documents just in case we need to reference a bill from 1994. In reality, after a certain amount of time, you’re better off safely disposing of those papers so they don’t fall in the wrong hands. Excluding majorly important documents, such as birth/death certificates, military documents, or documents involving the government or lawyers, you can get rid of most other forms after about seven years.
Hard Drives
You’d be surprised how much information can be taken from an old hard drive. When you input information on the internet- passwords, bank logins, addresses, etc.- it’s automatically stored in your computer. This is even worse for businesses since you’re saving other people’s information. If you have old computers sitting around, you’re risking all that data getting stolen and used in ways that can harm you or your business.
Why Is This Important?
Identity theft is all too common these days. You might be surprised at how easily someone can steal your identity with just a few simple details from an old bank statement or a password off a hard drive. If that data belongs to a client, you could also be faced with a lawsuit on top of a ruined reputation for exposing client information.
What Do You Do?
The best way to keep you and your client’s information safe is to practice proper data destruction. Have your old documents shredded in a certifiably secure facility and send old technology along with them. (Contrary to popular belief, smashing your computer or hard drive with a hammer does not guarantee that you destroyed your data). So find a data destruction company and shredding service that will provide you with a sense of security when it comes to disposing of your old documents and technology.
In Nassau and Suffolk County, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, Complete Shredding Solutions is your trusted data destruction service. We offer drop-off and recurring shredding service to provide you with convenient and safe document destruction.
For more information about Complete Shredding Solutions, call us today at 516-442-1624 for more information.
