Protect Your Identity: Destroy Sensitive Documents at Community Shred-A-Thon
Pinetop-Lakeside Advocates Against Drugs (PLAAD) partners with the Pinetop-Lakeside Sanitary District (PLSD) to help citizens protect their identity. This second annual Community Shred-A-Thon event is part of a statewide effort to make Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Jan. 18, “a day on instead of a day off”.
Protect yourself from identity theft while you protect the environment. It's free and easy. Anyone is invited to bring documents, papers and cardboard waste to the PLSD, 9 am-noon, Jan. 18. Confidential documents may be offloaded directly on to the conveyer belt that takes them into the massive digester, mixing the paper with sludge that within hours is turned into unidentifiable residue that is used for landscape compost.
Shredding sensitive documents is one way to reduce risk of becoming an identity theft victim. “Identity theft is one of the largest crime issues today,” said Pinetop Lakeside Police Chief Sherwood Eldredge. “People steal other people’s identity, obtain credit cards and order drugs from the Internet before the victim realizes it.” Chief Eldredge adds that the Navajo County Sheriff, Show Low and Pinetop-Lakeside police have solved about 250 cases on individuals breaking into local houses, stealing checks, credit cards, identity information and cars, mostly related to drug use and abuse.
Participating in this free community event can keep your personal information out of the hands of crooks. With confidence, local hospitals, schools, banks and lawyers utilize the PLSD digester for disposal of confidential documents. “Cardboard and paper are the easiest materials to recycle or reuse,” said PLSD District Manager Dave Smith. “There is no need to fill up our landfills with these materials. Recycling them at the digester is a benefit to the community.”
* Bring outdated check stubs, receipts, tax documents, utility bills, credit card offers. They will be destroyed and RECYCLED! * Note: It is not necessary to remove staples or paperclips from materials to be shredded. Please do not bring metal, plastic bags, DVDs or other non-paper/cardboard items. * Pick up identity theft protection material, reducing, reusing and recycling! * Pledge to recycle and you will be entered in a drawing for prizes including a home paper shredder!
Document shredding is at no cost. However, tax-deductible donations to PLAAD will be gladly accepted.
This event is a great opportunity to properly dispose of old bank statements, bills, tax records, and protect your identity. Come on out and join us!
Volunteer to assist on Jan. 18 by contacting the PLAAD at lfigueroa@ci.pinetop-lakeside.az.us