I am serious here: Don't drop off your credit report at a clothing drop-off site. I shouldn't have to say this, but it happened right outside my office.
This morning I arrived bright and early at work and parked near the clothing drop-off bin set up by a non-profit organization. Boxes of clothes too large to stuff in the bin are stacked neatly outside it with papers on top. I don't pay much attention to this situation as it plays out daily. Except, this time there are papers laying on top. Good accountant that I am, I glance at the papers and notice it is a credit report.
This is dangerous in our society. Identity theft is a real issue and a major headache to clear up once victimized. So, I gather the papers and bring them in the office for shredding. Paging through the papers I see a fine young man dressed in prison garb. This is where I phone the police and get their opinion. They send an officer over and it is decided the papers should be shredded and not taken in as evidence. No crime was committed.
Please, shred all documents before letting them out of your hands. Never set papers with personal information out in the open when they can be stolen. Please do this for me. It will help your friendly neighborhood accountant sleep better at night.
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