With the festive season fast approaching, it's the time of the year when our to-do lists get longer and longer. With a lot going on, it's easy to let your guard down with regards to security, making it a lucrative time for opportunists to take advantage.
In particular, identity theft and the stealing of personal data have been on the rise in recent years, and with increased transactions and communications taking place at Christmas, criminals will be ready to pounce.
During the run-up to the festive season, homes and businesses are likely to see an increase in the amount of paper they use and receive. This can be from a number of sources, such as shopping receipts, as well as sending and receiving Christmas cards.
Businesses will especially see their volumes of paper burgeon around Christmas, particularly those that experience an increased amount of trade at this time of year. As well as receipts, customer documents and Christmas cards, businesses may produce documents detailing end-of-year financial data.
While most of us tend to think of physical assets or items such as gadgets, jewellery, money or other valuables as being most vulnerable to theft, the information that you hold on to such as paper documents, is just as susceptible to fraudulent activity. Therefore, paying attention to how you manage and store all paper documentation is important, especially at this time of year when volumes start to increase.
Should personal information from the envelope of a Christmas card or sensitive financial data from a receipt become misplaced or fall into the wrong hands, it could have detrimental consequences. Businesses, in particular, are obliged to make sure that the personal information of employees, customers and clients are kept safe under the Data Protection Act, so what can you do to make sure your personal information is kept safe this Christmas and beyond?
Being organised is key to keeping your documentation safe this Christmas, so get into the habit of deciding what you need to keep, and what can be discarded straight away, without any personal or sensitive data lying around. If you need to store documents, make sure you have robust, safe facilities that are accessed only by a limited number of trusted people.
Decide how long you need to keep your documentation for. Receipts, for instance, should be gathered together and kept until after Christmas, or when you're sure they'll no longer be needed.
Papers, documents and receipts that are no longer required should never just be dumped in the recycling bin, as someone could get hold of them and use the information for their own gains.
Instead, get into the habit of shredding your paper, including receipts, Christmas cards, envelopes, financial data and all other documents that build up this festive season.
If you're too involved with other activities this Christmas, then consider using our paper shredding service, who can manage this process for you. By sending your items to a small business shredding service with a good reputation, you can have confidence that your paper documents will be disposed of correctly, without falling into the wrong hands. Contact our recycling shredding services this Christmas.
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