BBB Event Offers Free Identity Theft Protection Advice and On-Site Document Shredding

BBB Invites Triangle Community to Take Part in “Secure Your ID” Day

RALEIGH, N.C. (April 8, 2008)— The Better Business Bureau of Eastern North Carolina announces it will host a local shredding event for individuals and small businesses on Saturday, May 3 at the Ridgewood Shopping Center in Raleigh. The free event from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. will help protect against identity theft by disposing of information responsibly.

“Shredding sensitive paper documents is an important first step, but it doesn’t end there,” says Beverly Baskin, president and CEO of BBB of Eastern North Carolina. “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.”

In 2007, 8.1 million Americans became victims of ID 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 had direct contact with the victim’s personal information, through a stolen or lost wallet, rifling through a personal mailbox or trashcan, or even lifting documents from inside a home or business.

“This is largely a crime of access,” adds Baskin. “Our goal here is to make the information less accessible and empower people to be their own first line of defense against identity theft. With community-based BBBs across North America collaborating for the very first time for an in-market event like this, we’ll have a tremendous coast-to-coast presence that will reach a lot of people and, hopefully, stop a lot of theft.”

BBB is partnering nationally with Equifax and the National Association of Information Destruction—and locally with ProShred Security and Panther Shredding—to offer this free community service, coupled with expert advice and resources for protecting personal information from ID thieves.

Participants are encouraged to bring up to three boxes or bags of documents to be shredded. Documents to be shredded should be removed from binders. At the event, BBB and other participating organizations will provide tips and resources to help protect your identity.

For more information, visit www.raleigh.bbb.org.

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Better Business Bureau of Eastern North Carolina
5540 Munford Rd., Ste. 130
Raleigh, NC 27612

About BBB of Eastern North Carolina:
The Better Business Bureau of Eastern North Carolina is a 501 (c)(6) not-for-profit corporation serving 33 counties in Eastern North Carolina. The organization is funded primarily by membership dues from more than 3,200 local business and professional firms. The BBB promotes integrity, consumer confidence and business ethics through business self-regulation in the local marketplace. Services provided by the BBB include, reports on companies and charitable organizations, general monitoring of advertising in the marketplace, dispute resolution services, and consumer/business education programs. All services are provided at no cost to the public, with the occasional exception of mediation and arbitration. Visit bbb.org.

This release was published on openPR.