Preventing Identity Theft Through Proper Document Disposal

Identity Theft: A Growing Problem

Identity theft costs Australians over $3 billion annually. Criminals increasingly target business waste as a source of personal information—names, addresses, dates of birth, and financial details needed to commit fraud.

How Identity Criminals Operate

Dumpster Diving:

Criminals search business bins for:

• Customer application forms
• Employee payroll documents
• Bank statements and invoices
• Credit card receipts
• Discarded ID copies

Building Access:

Former employees or cleaners may access:

• Unlocked filing cabinets
• Desktop documents
• Unsecured waste bins

Document Theft:

Targeted theft of:

• Archive boxes during moves
• Documents awaiting collection
• Unattended delivery packages

What Criminals Want

High-Value Documents:

• Tax file numbers
• Driver's licence copies
• Medicare card details
• Passport information
• Bank account details
• Credit card numbers
• Employment records
• Medical information

Supporting Details:

• Full names and addresses
• Dates of birth
• Email addresses
• Phone numbers
• Family member names
• Previous addresses

Business Liability

When customer data is compromised through improper disposal:

• Privacy Act penalties apply
• Civil liability to affected individuals
• Reputational damage
• Regulatory investigation costs
• Media and PR management expenses

Prevention Through Secure Destruction

Immediate Steps:

1. Remove all waste bins from under desks 2. Replace with locked collection containers 3. Implement clean desk policies 4. Train staff on document security 5. Engage certified shredding services

Ongoing Practices:

• Regular container collections
• Destruction certificates for all disposals
• Periodic security audits
• Staff awareness refreshers

WEST SHRED Protection

Our service eliminates identity theft risk by:

• Providing locked containers preventing access
• Collecting on regular schedules
• Destroying all material securely
• Issuing certificates proving destruction