Document Shredding and Identity Theft Information Is Offered
The best way to fight identity theft is to avoid it in the first place.
Deputy Tonya Baker, community education officer, recommends that people shred important documents such as invoices, bank statements, canceled checks, medical records and credit card receipts.
To assist residents in those efforts, the township will offer free document shredding 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 26, at an Identity Theft Awareness Day. Residents of Centerville/Washington Township may bring their documents to the Public Works Garage, 8190 McEwen Rd., to be shredded and recycled.
Advice and written information on identity theft will be provided by Deputy Baker who serves the Washington Township Substation of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
The township also will accept data storage materials such as tapes, floppy disks, credit cards, CDs and microfilm. The secure shredding system is approved by the state and used by the township for its own documents. Cintas, the company providing the service, will shred material on site in the presence of a township employee and a deputy. Residents have the option to watch as the documents are shredded.
As many as 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year, according to the Federal Trade Commission. For information about future ID Theft Awareness days, call the finance department at 433-0152.