MS Attorney General’s Office hosts yearly Shred Day
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports 23.9 million people were victims of identity theft in 2021.
Some of that theft is due to improperly disposed of identifying information.
That’s why the Mississippi State Attorney General’s office partners with the Mississippi Credit Union Association to host a yearly document shred, tech, and medication disposal day.
Anything with identifying information, even junk mail, needs to be shredded to avoid potential security risks.
Old computers could also contain sensitive information that needs to be destroyed securely.
Kimberly Farmer with the Mississippi State Attorney General’s Office said when someone’s identity is stolen, it can shake up their entire life.
“That means someone has taken everything that you’ve worked hard for, your credit. You know, maybe they purchase things in your name, unknown to you. They’re posing as you. If it’s online versus walking into a bank to take out a loan or to open up a checking account. So again, the best way to protect yourself is to dispose of your personal information in a safe manner. And that’s what the shred and med, and Disposal Day is about,” said Kimberly Farmer of the MS State Attorney General’s Office.
