Protecting Seniors' Personal Identity

Identity theft is a fast-growing financial crime in America. Identity thieves target seniors because they are perceived as being less careful and more trusting, and have more disposable income. Additionally, it is very hard for us all to keep up with the ever-evolving technology that thieves can use to commit identity fraud--with your information!

A senior’s new best friends may be a shredder and a scanner. In-home shredders are no longer optional for seniors who wish to protect their personal identity. Marketers have caught on to the Baby Boomer generation, and elders are often targets for scams that start with identity theft.

Here is a list of the things you should be sure to shred so they won’t fall in the wrong hands.

1. Old bank statements and tax records--In the past, it has been necessary to save old documents in paper form. Seniors are catching on to a new way of banking online, and it has many advantages. if you use online banking, you can eliminate the threat of identity theft via the mail by relying upon the bank’s record storage. Most online banks allow you to view and print any old statement. If you have the time, scan the oldest ones you need to keep for any reason, save them to your PC (home scanners cost about $250) and shred them when you are done. Such a new routine takes a little practice, but you may find the conversion quicker and more convenient than you expected.

2. Medical records--You may not be used to having copies of your medical records. But you are likely to have mounds of CMS “This is not a bill- save this in your files” statements of Medicare benefits. Online medical records are fairly new, but one day you will be able to store your medical information online so it is accessible (and safe) from any location. In the meantime, treat your Medicare information with care. Scan all statements and receipts. Not only does this avoid the risk of misplacing important benefit payments and balances, but it will save time at tax time.

3. Legal documents--Legal documents are sure to contain personal information you do not want a stranger to see. If you choose to save originals, retain only one copy and scan the original in case you need more copies. Shred the duplicates.

4. In general, shred any paperwork that contains your name, address, account numbers or insurance details. Be sure to shred instead of toss those annoying credit-card promotional mailings. Some shredders will handle a credit card; otherwise, you may need to cut old, dated, or unnecessary cards with a scissor. If you receive unwanted catalogs or bulky mail that has your name and address on it, remove the personal information and toss the rest in the trash. Do not rely on a fel- tip marker to disguise your name and address.

5. If you have a container for confidential trash at work, use it. However, do not rely on throwing out personal information at a different location as a means of security protection. If your trash is collected from your home, put it out the day of pickup, rather than the night before, if at all possible. This gives thieves less time to go through your trash.

Now that you have all this shredded paper, why not go green? Contact your local Humane Society, which can use the shreds for animal bedding and litter boxes. If not, you might want to place your shredder nearest to where you read the mail. Carrying bags of shredded materials is a bulky experience. Bags are not heavy, but they can cause falls, because they are big and can obscure your view of the stairs or walkway. Keep your shredder in the "off" position when you are not using it. Accidents can happen.