We are dedicated to bringing you an updated list of news stories important to your business.Wednesday, August 17, 2005
October is National Crime Prevention Month
National Crime Prevention Council and Fellowes Urge Consumers to Prevent ID Theft by Shredding Personal Documents
Identity theft is one of America’s fastest growing crimes. According to a recent Federal Trade Commission report, nearly 10 million people in the last year alone have been victims of identity theft, costing them $5 billion in out-of-pocket expenses and costing businesses a total of nearly $50 billion.
As part of National Crime Prevention Month, the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) and Fellowes, Inc., one of the nation’s leading manufacturers of paper shredders for home and office use, offer tips on the proper disposal of personal documents – key to reducing this devastating crime.
Identity theft, by definition, is the unauthorized transfer or use of another person’s identification with the intent to commit unlawful activity. The crime occurs when someone fraudulently uses an individual’s personal information to apply for a loan, credit card, driver’s license or even a job. Identity theft can lead to a ruined credit rating, a tarnished reputation and even wrongful imprisonment. The average victim can spend more than 175 hours of personal time and more than $800 to clear their names and restore their good credit ratings.
“A document shredder, along with prudent protective actions such as storing personal records in a safe place or using a password protected electronic storage medium, can be an invaluable tool in ensuring personal records don’t end up in the wrong hands,” said George Rice, Director of Affairs for NCPC.
Fellowes has seen double digit increases in shredder sales in the past year as more consumers are becoming aware of the growing threat of ID theft. “Consumers are increasingly translating awareness into action,” said John Fellowes, Product Manager for Fellowes, Inc. “News about the increase in identity theft is pervading conversations as never before, and more and more consumers are going out and buying shredders to protect themselves.”
When selecting a shredder, keep in mind the following guidelines to reduce or minimize the risk of becoming a victim of identity theft:
Daily Usage and Sheet Capacity -- “Think about how much you’ll shred in a day, then double it. Most users shred twice as much as they think they will,” said Fellowes. The biggest difference between shredders is the varying levels of motor efficiency, duty cycle and speed. Also, it is important to keep in mind the number of pages the user can feed through the shredder at one time.
Security Levels - Some shredders offer a “strip cut,” which provides cost-effective, good security by shredding paper into unreadable strips. Another type of shredder to consider, which goes one step further for added security, is a confetti (or cross-cut) shredder, which produces smaller, confetti like pieces. The finer cut also significantly reduces waste bulk, which means emptying the basket less frequently.
Speciality Shredding - Today’s shredders do more than just shred documents. For example, Fellowes’ newest model, the Powershredâ PS70-2CD Strip Cut Shredder, is designed to safely shred credit cards, staples, paperclips and even compact discs – valuable features in today’s information age.
About NCPC
The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) is a private, nonprofit tax-exempt [501(c)(3)] organization whose primary mission is to enable people to create safer and more caring communities by addressing the causes of crime and violence and reducing the opportunities for crime to occur. NCPC offers training, technical assistance, and a national focus for crime prevention: it acts as secretariat for the Crime Prevention Coalition of America, more than 4,000 national, federal, local, and state organizations committed to preventing crime. It also operates demonstration programs in schools, neighborhoods, and entire jurisdictions and takes a major leadership role in youth crime prevention and youth service; it also administers the Center for Faith and Service. NCPC manages the McGruff® "Take A Bite Out Of Crime®" public service advertising campaign. NCPC is funded through a variety of government agencies, corporate and private foundations, and donations from private individuals. Website: www.NCPC.org
About Fellowes
Headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, Fellowes, Inc. is a global leader in paper shredders, mobile, computer and consumer electronic accessories. The company owns and operates subsidiaries in Canada, United Kingdom, Benelux, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Singapore, Japan, Korea and Australia. Fellowes employs more than 1,700 people throughout the world and expects global sales in excess of $600 million this year.
Click Here to Learn More About Paper Shredders
Click Here to Find the Lowest Prices on Fellowes Paper Shredders
Identity theft is one of America’s fastest growing crimes. According to a recent Federal Trade Commission report, nearly 10 million people in the last year alone have been victims of identity theft, costing them $5 billion in out-of-pocket expenses and costing businesses a total of nearly $50 billion.
As part of National Crime Prevention Month, the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) and Fellowes, Inc., one of the nation’s leading manufacturers of paper shredders for home and office use, offer tips on the proper disposal of personal documents – key to reducing this devastating crime.
Identity theft, by definition, is the unauthorized transfer or use of another person’s identification with the intent to commit unlawful activity. The crime occurs when someone fraudulently uses an individual’s personal information to apply for a loan, credit card, driver’s license or even a job. Identity theft can lead to a ruined credit rating, a tarnished reputation and even wrongful imprisonment. The average victim can spend more than 175 hours of personal time and more than $800 to clear their names and restore their good credit ratings.
“A document shredder, along with prudent protective actions such as storing personal records in a safe place or using a password protected electronic storage medium, can be an invaluable tool in ensuring personal records don’t end up in the wrong hands,” said George Rice, Director of Affairs for NCPC.
Fellowes has seen double digit increases in shredder sales in the past year as more consumers are becoming aware of the growing threat of ID theft. “Consumers are increasingly translating awareness into action,” said John Fellowes, Product Manager for Fellowes, Inc. “News about the increase in identity theft is pervading conversations as never before, and more and more consumers are going out and buying shredders to protect themselves.”
When selecting a shredder, keep in mind the following guidelines to reduce or minimize the risk of becoming a victim of identity theft:
Daily Usage and Sheet Capacity -- “Think about how much you’ll shred in a day, then double it. Most users shred twice as much as they think they will,” said Fellowes. The biggest difference between shredders is the varying levels of motor efficiency, duty cycle and speed. Also, it is important to keep in mind the number of pages the user can feed through the shredder at one time.
Security Levels - Some shredders offer a “strip cut,” which provides cost-effective, good security by shredding paper into unreadable strips. Another type of shredder to consider, which goes one step further for added security, is a confetti (or cross-cut) shredder, which produces smaller, confetti like pieces. The finer cut also significantly reduces waste bulk, which means emptying the basket less frequently.
Speciality Shredding - Today’s shredders do more than just shred documents. For example, Fellowes’ newest model, the Powershredâ PS70-2CD Strip Cut Shredder, is designed to safely shred credit cards, staples, paperclips and even compact discs – valuable features in today’s information age.
About NCPC
The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) is a private, nonprofit tax-exempt [501(c)(3)] organization whose primary mission is to enable people to create safer and more caring communities by addressing the causes of crime and violence and reducing the opportunities for crime to occur. NCPC offers training, technical assistance, and a national focus for crime prevention: it acts as secretariat for the Crime Prevention Coalition of America, more than 4,000 national, federal, local, and state organizations committed to preventing crime. It also operates demonstration programs in schools, neighborhoods, and entire jurisdictions and takes a major leadership role in youth crime prevention and youth service; it also administers the Center for Faith and Service. NCPC manages the McGruff® "Take A Bite Out Of Crime®" public service advertising campaign. NCPC is funded through a variety of government agencies, corporate and private foundations, and donations from private individuals. Website: www.NCPC.org
About Fellowes
Headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, Fellowes, Inc. is a global leader in paper shredders, mobile, computer and consumer electronic accessories. The company owns and operates subsidiaries in Canada, United Kingdom, Benelux, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Singapore, Japan, Korea and Australia. Fellowes employs more than 1,700 people throughout the world and expects global sales in excess of $600 million this year.
Click Here to Learn More About Paper Shredders
Click Here to Find the Lowest Prices on Fellowes Paper Shredders
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