Secure Your ID Day set for businesses, consumers
STAFF REPORT
YOUNGSTOWN — The Better Business Bureau invites Mahoning Valley residents to Secure Your ID Day from 9 a.m. to noon May 30 at the Covelli Centre, the former Chevrolet Centre, 229 Front St.
Businesses and consumers are encouraged to attend the event and take a step in identity protection by shredding and properly disposing of their sensitive documents.
BBB staff will be at the center to provide advice and tips for identity theft protection.
“Shredding sensitive paper documents is an important step, but it doesn’t end there,” said Patricia Rose, president of the BBB. “That’s why BBB experts will also be distributing important advice and simple steps everyone can take to prevent ID theft in their daily lives, both online and off.”
Last year alone, 8.1 million Americans became victims of identity theft, resulting in the loss of $45 billion, according to a 2008 report from Javelin Strategy and Research. The report notes that the majority, 56 percent, of ID theft occurs when the thief has direct contact with the victim’s personal information, through a stolen or lost wallet, rifling through a personal mailbox or trash can, or even lifting documents from inside a home or business.
“This is largely a crime of access,” Rose added. “Our goal here is to make the information less accessible and empower people to be their own first line of defense against identity theft.”
The last BBB Secure Your ID Day event yielded more than 16,000 pounds of materials that were destroyed.
Bring up to five boxes or bags of documents to be shredded and take home the tips and resources you need to help protect yourself from identity theft.
Secure Your ID Day is sponsored by Shred It, First Place Bank, WKBN Fox 17/62, Time Warner Cable, Covelli Centre, Mahoning County Green Team and Youngstown CityScape.
For questions, call (330) 744-3111 and press “0” or e-mail info@youngstown.bbb.org.