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Sheriff's Identity Theft Task Force Held Community Event - Protect Your Identity, Shred-It
On Saturday, May 19, 2013 Shred-it, the world’s leading on site document destruction company and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Identity Theft Task Force teamed up to help Los Angeles County residents combat identity theft by hosting a free Community Shred-it Event at two locations in Los Angeles County:
Cerritos:
Los Cerritos Center, 239 Los Cerritos Center, Cerritos 90703
Los Angeles:
The Ladera Center, 5315 West Centinela Avenue, Los Angeles 90045
Everyone was welcome to bring all their unwanted personal documents for shredding by Shred-it mobile trucks. Shred-it is provided the service free of charge; however, tax deductible donations were collected for various youth charities such as 999 for Kids, Sheriff’s Youth Foundation, and the Sheriff’s Explorer Program. In total there were 50 Sheriff’s Department personnel, explorers and volunteers working both locations. “With the ever increasing sophistication in technology and the ways Identity Theft is committed; it has become even more important to properly dispose of personal documents to protect one’s identity and personal information. The Commercial Crimes Bureau is proud to partner with Shred-it to provide this important public service for the communities we serve, while, at the same time, raising money for some worthwhile charities” said Captain Curtis Jensen.
“Identity theft is the fastest growing form of consumer fraud in North America,” says Barry Easdale, District Operations Manager of Shred-It Los Angeles division. “Community members can protect themselves by regularly destroying confidential and personal documents rather than disposing of them in non-secure places such as garbage bins. The Community Shred-it Event is the perfect place to shred documents safely and securely while helping some amazing charities.”
To prevent personal identity theft, Shred-it advises to shred the following sensitive documents and old files:
Receipts (Credit & Debit Card Receipts)
Checks
Pre-approved Credit Applications / Credit Card Statements / Bank Statements
Outdated Tax Returns
Envelopes & Return Address Labels
Business Cards
About Shred-it
Shred-it is a world-leading information security company providing document destruction services that ensure the security and integrity of our client’s private information. The company operates 140 service locations in 16 countries worldwide, servicing more than 150,000 global, national, and local businesses, including the world’s top intelligence and security agencies, more than 500 police forces, 1,500 hospitals, 8,500 bank branches, and 1,200 universities and colleges. For more information please visit http://www.shredit.com/Home.aspx
About the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Identify Theft Task Force Detail
The Identity Theft Task Force became operational in 2000 and was the first in the nation. The task force is grand funded by the California emergency Management Agency and investigates identity theft crime, provides prevention information to consumers and offers specialized training to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Task force members include Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigators, as well as investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Los Angeles County Department of Consumer Affairs, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, and several police departments throughout Los Angeles County.
For further information, contact Lieutenant Donnie Mauldin, Identity Theft Task Force (562) 347-2660.
FRAUD AND IDENTITY THEFT PREVENTION
Victims Guide to Fraud:
http://la-sheriff.org/sites/CCB_Internet/TriFolds/Fraud_Victim_Trifold.pdf
Victim’s Guide for Identity Theft:
http://la-sheriff.org/sites/CCB_Internet/TriFolds/ID_Theft_Victim_Guide.pdf
http://la-sheriff.org/sites/CCB_Internet/fraud.htm
Tips on how to avoid becoming a victim
Avoiding identity theft is not simple but there are several common sense things consumers can do:
Keep personal information in a safe place and avoid storing important documents in easily accessible places like glove boxes or day planners.
Don't give your social security or account number over the phone to anyone who has called you, or to anyone you don't know. Don't be afraid to ask why your personal information is needed and how it will be used.
Shred all documents that contain personal information before tossing them out. Never simply toss documents that contain your social security number in the trash can.
Cancel your paper bills and statements wherever possible and instead check your statements and pay bills on-line from financial institution secure websites.
Monitor your account balances and activity electronically (at least once per week).
If you don't have access to on-line accounts, review your paper bank and credit card statements monthly.
Refrain from carrying unnecessary information such as PIN's, passwords, or social security numbers in your wallet or purse.
Retrieve paper mail from your mailbox promptly and deposit outgoing mail containing sensitive information in a secure mailbox.
Prepared by:
Public Information Officer Nicole Nishida
(323) 810-1973
Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau – Newsroom
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
323-267-4800
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.lasd.org
LASD HQ Text and Emails: www.Nixle.com
http://nixle.com/lasd----hq-newsroom-shb-los-angeles-county-sheriff/
Twitter: @LASD_News http://twitter.com/#!/LASD_News
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LASD YouTube Videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/LACountySheriff/videos?view=0
Partner to prevent or report crime by contacting Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station. Or if you wish to remain Anonymous, call "LA Crime Stoppers" by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org
For full details, view this message on the web.
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