Why you need to destroy your hard drives.

Disclaimer: A majority of the content in this document has been curated by a representative of Edward Jones. For access to the original content, click the link here

When it comes to your personal security, destroying your hard drive(s) could make all the difference between experiencing identity theft and keeping your private information safe. A hard drive can hold a person’s entire life on it, which in the wrong hands, can be detrimental to you, your business, and even your family. There are countless reasons one should consider in order to protect their identity, including hard drive destruction services in Reno. Read more below to see why you should have your hard drives destroyed when you no longer have a use for them. 

 

4 Reasons You Should Consider Hard Drive Destruction Reno

#1 Hard drive destruction is the only certain way to ensure your data has been destroyed and can not be retrieved.

Physically destroying your hard drive is the only way to destroy your data without the possibility of any of your information being retrievable. This ensures your identity remains secure long after the hard drive has been disposed of.

#2 Destroying hard drives with sensitive information keeps you compliant with data breaching laws.

Several State and Federal laws exist to ensure the safe and proper handling of information between organizations and their employees/clients. For example, HIPPA law, which stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, is “a Federal law that required the creation of national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient’s consent or knowledge” (CDC, 2018). Failure to comply with such laws will result in costly fines and, often, loss of trust from clients resulting in loss of business. Hard drive destruction ensures you remain compliant with laws and regulations that protect the personal information of your clients and staff.

#3 Hard drive destruction saves you and your clients money.

Data breaches are costly for several reasons. For businesses, a data breach can cost thousands of dollars in fines and may result in lost profits due to loss of business. For personal victims of a data breach, the costs can vary dramatically depending on the information that was obtained. Physical hard drive destruction can prevent these costs from becoming an issue.

#4 Hard drive destruction has a tremendous impact on the environment.

Typically when hard drives are disposed of they wind up in a landfill where they release toxic material and negatively impact the environment. The leaking metals and toxins that come from deteriorating hard drives can lead to pollution that affects the plants and animals found in nature, making them extremely ill. When you choose physical hard drive destruction, the devices are destroyed in a secure, enclosed location and are sent to the appropriate recycling facility for disposal.  

 

Guard Against Identity Theft – And Protect Your Finances

By: Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Each year, millions of Americans are victimized by identity theft, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. What can you do to guard your identity and protect yourself from potential financial losses? Here are some ideas to consider:

Review Your Statements

Closely review the monthly statements from your checking and other financial accounts. If you find any unfamiliar charges, contact your bank or other financial services provider immediately.

Order Your Credit Reports

The three credit reporting agencies – TransUnion, Equifax and Experian – are each required by law to provide you one free credit report a year. Make sure your name, address and other information are correct on your credit report, and if you find old or inaccurate information, have it removed. Place a fraud alert. If you suspect you have become a victim of identity theft, place a “fraud alert” on your credit reports by contacting any of the three credit reporting agencies. You can choose a short-term or long-term alert. And if you’re an active member of the military, you can request a special, one-year alert.

Feed Your Shredder

Shred all old bank and investment statements, applications for new credit cards and any other documents that contain personal information.

Destroy Digital Data

If you have a variety of financial accounts, you’re not just creating a paper trail – you’re also establishing a digital “footprint.” So when you sell or otherwise dispose of a computer system or hard drive, you may want to take steps to destroy personal data. You might think that simply deleting it would be sufficient, but tech-savvy identity thieves can “undelete” files or recover information from a formatted drive. However, products are available that allow you to completely wipe out data on hard drives.

Change Passwords

It’s a good idea to change your internet passwords every so often – especially those passwords that provide access to financial accounts.

Leave Your Social Security Card Home

Snagging someone’s Social Security number is a real “catch” for identity thieves, so do everything you can to thwart them. You can start by leaving your Social Security card safely at home – after all, there’s probably never a good reason to bring it out anyway. In fact, be wary of anyone, or any business, that asks for your Social Security number, either in person or online. Except for a few obvious exceptions, such as your tax preparer, most reputable businesses don’t need to know anything about your Social Security information.

Watch for “Phishers”

If you’ve ever gotten an email, supposedly from your bank, advising you that your account will be “frozen” unless you provide personal details about your account, it’s a good bet that someone is “phishing” for this information – and they’re using the “freezing” threat as bait. What’s particularly alarming is that these “phishers” have gotten quite good at duplicating logos and using official-sounding language. However, a legitimate bank would never threaten you this way with an email. So, if you get such a message, contact the bank’s fraud department. You can go a long way toward protecting yourself against identity theft by following these suggestions – so put them to work soon.

 

Hard Drive Destruction Services Reno

We’ve made it our mission to deliver the best hard drive destruction services the Reno area has to offer. To do this, we apply the same safe and secure destruction methods as we do for our document destructions. Using state-of-the-art hydraulic machinery, we’re able to shred hard drives into small pieces for secure disposal. 

We offer both on-site and off-site shredding services and ensure the ultimate security of these services with a Certified Document of Destruction for all hard drive devices.

Connect with us today to learn more. 

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