As I try and keep my face away from the minute particles of paper dust that just rose from the tangled mess of paper strips that once bore the print of crucial information (account numbers etc.), I pause to wonder what possessed some of these banks to print one's SSN on every monthly bank statement. Eventually, they all saw the light and started masking the first 5 numbers, but even that falls short of the ideal. Most businesses only need the last 4 digits to identify yourself. I am glad that we have gone mostly paperless with all our accounts. And most businesses encourage customers to go paperless these days. Apart from saving the environment, there is this crucial benefit of protecting yourself from identity thieves.
Yet another task triggered by our long term departure, the need to slim down the house and leave it free of articles that may be susceptible to identity theft. It is a tedious chore, making sure that no paper that contains an SSN or a DOB or even past employer or address information gets left behind. No paper left behind! All of these are potential gateways to an identity breach. While you can never get a 100% guarantee, it helps to reduce the chances.
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