Identity thieves target kids and the deceased. Outsmart them by shredding birth announcements, keeping your child's date of birth off social media, and minimizing use of their social security number. If you’ve lost a loved one, keep documents that are still active, like wills and property deeds. Scan and shred the rest.
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Birth and Death Announcements
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Travel Plans
Boarding passes contain bar codes that thieves can use to hack your airline accounts. Shred printable confirmations and trip itineraries, which also contain your account information. Are you moving houses or states? Important documents can get lost in the shuffle; create a special file so nothing goes missing and falls into the wrong hands.
Related: 11 Ways You May Be Inviting Burglars Into Your Home
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Old Financial Documents
Once they’re paid or balanced, shred credit card and bank statements—and cut up those expired credit cards! Past pay stubs can also be shredded (electronic copies may be available through your employer). Wondering how long you should keep tax docs? The IRS provides detailed guidelines: Seven years is a good rule of thumb.
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Junk Mail
Those letters pestering you to open a credit account could be bait for thieves. If they get their hands on the offer letter, unsavory characters could sign up for a pre-approved loan or start a credit line in your name. Instead of going on the defensive by shredding whatever ends up in your mailbox, you can opt out of receiving junk mail by following instructions from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
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Job Applications
Extra résumés and old job applications should be shredded. The info they contain, such as your home address, phone number, and links to social media accounts, are all clues for potential thieves. Another caveat: In this “gig economy,” be sure you are applying to a reputable source before you send out any personal info.
Related: 8 Ways to Make It Look Like You’re Home When You’re Not
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Academic and Professional Work
Protect yourself from plagiarism and wholesale theft of your intellectual property by scanning and then shredding those A+ papers and business reports. Keep an electronic portfolio of your best work, and share a hard copy only if it will be returned. On your résumé, indicate that writing samples can be requested.
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Memories
Those boxes of childhood art in the attic? It may be time to cull and shred. No, those finger paintings won't put you at risk for identity theft, but they could be a real pain for your kids to sort through when you're gone. Declutter sooner rather than later. Gift any originals or create a scrapbook or digital memory archive of special artwork. The younger generations will thank you!
Related—Ditch the Fridge: 7 New Ways to Display Children's Artwork
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Sneaky Thieves
You already know to lock away your prized possessions and valuable belongings, but there are other things out in the open of your home that burglars are interested in swiping. While you’re gathering old documents that need to be shredded, take a look around your home to see what items might be at risked.
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