It's the law

DID YOU KNOW?

In 1988 (California vs. Greenwood) the United States Supreme Court overruled the 1974 Privacy Act.  This ruling makes your garbage public domain.  Thus, once it hits the trash anyone can legally remove information out of your garbage bin.

Identity Theft

The increasingly growing crime of Identity Theft in recent years has caused Federal and State Governments to mandate that personal information be properly destroyed.  Research shows that identity theft information is still largely gathered through paper based materials rather than electronic or internet sources. 

What Should You Shred ?

Anything you would not want in the hands of others! 

Business - Trade secrets, personal client information, reports, payroll information, contracts, budgets, canceled checks, manuals, drawings, vendor records, supplier records, medical records, health records, employee records, safety records, product information, blue prints, advertising, inventory records, client list, etc. 

Personal - Tax returns, insurance information, bank information, canceled checks, all financial statements, credit card statements, receipts containing credit card numbers or other personal information, medical records, wills, deceased information, etc.

California State Laws

California Civil Code (Section 1798)  Requires businesses to take all steps necessary to protect client information in their possession and properly destroy such information through shredding, erasing, or otherwise so that it is non legible once it is no longer necessary to be retained.

California Senate Bill 1386 2003  Requires companies to disclose and notify consumers if consumer information maintained in their data files has been breached.

Federal Laws

Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) 2003  Effecting all businesses and persons who collect personal information for business purposes.  Requires the destruction of all such information in electronic and paper form.

Economic Espionage Act(EEA) 1996  Businesses or persons must protect all forms and types of financial, business, scientific, technical, economic, or engineering information in their possession in any format that is not known to the public.

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act(GLB Act) 1999  Requires the protection and proper destruction of all consumer information held by financial institutions.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act(HIPPA) 1996  Requires health care organizations to have appropriate measures in place to protect patient medical records, patient logs, insurance, billing, and other personal patient information.

USA Patriot Act 2001  Requires all businesses and persons to protect all information in order to deter and obstruct any act of terrorists.