BBB Event Offers Free Identity Theft Protection Advice and On-Site Document Shredding

BBB invites community to take part in first-ever, coast-to-coast “Secure Your ID” Day.

Wallingford, CT, April 16, 2008 --(PR.com)-- The Connecticut Better Business Bureau invites local individuals and small businesses this Saturday, May 3, 2008 at the Wal-Mart parking lot, Middleton Avenue, Route 80 in New Haven, to take the first step in identity protection: If you don’t need it, dispose of it responsibly.

BBB is partnering nationally with Equifax and the National Association of Information Destruction—and locally, with Shredding Source of Guilford, CT., to offer this free community service, coupled with expert advice and resources for protecting personal information from ID thieves.

“Shredding sensitive paper documents is an important first step, but it doesn’t end there,” said BBB Connecticut President Paulette Hotton. “That’s why BBB experts will also be distributing important advice and simple steps everyone can take to prevent ID theft in their daily lives, both online and off.”

Last year alone, 8.1 million Americans became victims of ID theft, resulting in the loss of $45 billion, according to a 2008 report from Javelin Strategy and Research. The report notes that the majority (56 percent) of ID theft occurs when the thief had direct contact with the victim’s personal information, through a stolen or lost wallet, rifling through a personal mailbox or trashcan, or even lifting documents from inside a home or business.

“This is largely a crime of access,” added Hotton. “Our goal here is to make the information less accessible and empower people to be their own first line of defense against identity theft. With community-based BBBs across North America collaborating for the very first time for an in-market event like this, we’ll have a tremendous coast-to-coast presence that will reach a lot of people and, hopefully, stop a lot of theft.”

BBB Secure Your ID Day Details

Who: Better Business Bureau Serving Connecticut with national partners Equifax and the National Association for Information Destruction and local partners Shredding Source, of Guilford, CT.
What: Free on-the-spot document shredding and advice for protecting your identity from ID thieves.
When: Saturday, May 3, 2008, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 P.M.
Where: Wal-Mart parking lot
Exit 8 off I-91
Middletown Avenue
New Haven, CT

Just bring up to three boxes or bags of documents to be shredded and take home the tips and resources you need to help protect yourself. Documents to be shredded should be removed from binders.

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Contact
Better Business Bureau CT
Howard Schwartz
203-279-2700 ext. 103
www.bbb.org
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