This week I purchased a new tool for the home. No unfortunately it wasn’t a new printer, computer or anything cool like that. Instead it is a tool that has been on my want-to-buy-essential list for awhile now. What is it? A paper shredder! Not all that exciting, is it?
Last week we received a letter from our bank. It was fully addressed to my husband so naturally I tore it open. (I open all the mail as I am the one that pays the bills) The contents revealed a keycard… one of those debit cards that can be used online. However, it was not our card, nor was the letter attached to the card addressed to us! In effect, I had in my possession a debit/credit card that could be used online as well as the full name, address, DOB and bank details of another person!!! Oi Voi! How scary is that? I have since returned it to the bank, informing them of their mistake and expressing my displeasure with the whole things – especially seeing that we bank with them too? Which bank? 😉
This started me thinking about online fraud and identity theft.
A day or two later a facebook friend mentioned that their wheelie bin was stolen and some random fellow knew a lot of their details as he had found their rubbish, including papers. Then, the council issued them with an ultimatum – go pick up all the rubbish or pay a hefty fine!
This got me to thinking about the details that could be learned from a rubbish bin – where we shop and what we purchase, where we purchase our fuel, friends, banks, and many more details.
Suffice to say, this is the reason that we purchased a shredder. Apparently the best ones to buy are cross cutters. These cut the paper into teensy weensy squares so that they can’t be put back together whereas many paper shredder simply cut the paper into long strips. This isn’t as effective. The one we have is an ugly pink colour but it also shreds credit/key cards and has a letter opener. Best of all, it wasn’t expensive- not for the peace of mind of protecting our details.
I know I’m probably behind the eight ball on this… but just in case there is someone else out there who doesn’t use a paper shredder I thought I’d post and encourage you to consider it.
It is scary isn’t it. My Dad recently purchased a shredder and thinks it is a cool new toy. I am still using scissors but now you have me thinking, too.
Hi Susan,
We burn all of our personal mail after we have finished with it. We haven’t purchased a paper shredder yet.
I hope that your knee is continuing to heal.
Have a wonderful week,
Love and blessings, Jillian :heart:
oh wow! this is so timely for me as we’ve been thinking of getting a shredder too….we had a bad experience many years ago where an old old cheque book got found at a tip and someone tried to write a cheque out with it – the only reason we found out was because there wasn’t enough money in our a/c to cover the cheque so our credit union rang us to check on it! Praise God it wasn’t for an amount that could have been covered! so, since then we’ve been more careful with our “rubbish” and cut it up into little pieces but you have me seriously thinking of the need for a shredder…will have to tell dh when he gets home. btw, can i ask what brand you got? if that’s ok as i don’t think i’ve seen a criss cross shredder?
The paper shredder you have purchased sounds like an excellent idea Susan… it is scary when you think about how our information can be used… stolen identities, using credit cards over the net (etc)… it is so very easy these days to steal from another.
I had a Myer Credit Card about 10 years ago. I had set up a new card/account, and when it hadn’t arrived for many, many weeks, I was concerned. Next thing a statement turned up in the mail. Someone had stolen it from my letterbox (I lived in a townhouse then, so all our letterboxes were together), and used it to buy boxes of Jim Beam to maximum limit they could use. Not in one hit mind you, but several shopping sprees, to avoid suspicion. The stores never really check the name on the front of a card, so a male can use a card with a female name on it without a hindrance. I didn’t have to pay this bill, as the matter was taken to the police.
Anyway, lucky for the true owners of the card you received… it could have landed in the hands of dishonest people.
That what we need – to shred all our personal things eg bills. What sort did you buy? I seen small ones that sit over a bin but I wonder how many pages you could put through it on each occasion.
Hehee I think the brand we bought was called a “Fashion Shredder” or something ridiculous like that. I mean who buys a shredder to be fashionable? :silly: It is a horrendous neon pink colour, which turned me off buying it but there were no others available so I decided that it wasn’t a fashion statement and went for it.
As I said, the important elements are not the colour of the machine but the fact that it is sturdy and is a criss cross shredder.
Shredders range in price from $30 to $300 but I paid approximately $40 from Big W.
Thanks Susan, will have to look in Big W:)
I like to mulch all my paperwork up and use it in the vege patch! It is scary how easy it is today to get a hold of someones personal information… a shredder is a good investment indeed.