Shred to protect yourself against ID theft - AmericaNowNews.com

Don't toss your junk mail

It takes very little for thieves to steal your identity. Your name, address, birth date, phone number - that's all they need.

Got junk mail? Don't just toss it.

"Anything that comes in the mail that has your information on it that you don't need, you always want to shred it. ID thieves go through mail," says Tim Caminos with the Better Business Bureau.

220 million people worldwide had their identities stolen in the last three years - a crime that continues to climb.

"Say someone has your address, your name, maybe a stolen credit card and they create a fake ID. They take that and they get a real driver's license. They take that driver's license, and they get into your credit report," adds Caminos.

The BBB says it may seem like common sense, but consumers and small businesses need to take further steps to protect themselves.

The bottom line: To protect your bottom line, a shredder could be your best defense in keeping you ... YOU.

Copyright 2013 America Now. All rights reserved.

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