This article is aimed at only one group of people: people who throw away their home computers without deleting any data from their hard drive.
This is actually a very simple step for identity theft criminals to access your personal information, and believe it or not, it happens all the time. Here’s a clear formula: improper computer disposal = identity theft.
There have been many cities in the United States that have been using the bulk garbage collection system. In this particular scheme, anything you have that is “bulky” (vacuum cleaners, dressers, cabinets, computers, etc.) can be disposed of during bulk garbage collection times. But here’s what happens: Early in the morning, as soon as homeowners have left their “bulk trash” on the curb, some people search for everything that’s still usable before the trucks show up. There are people looking for items that can still be restored and resold. On the other hand, there are also people who work with charities who search the trash for anything that can still be used by less fortunate people.
Using the formula I came up with a while ago, it can be simply deduced that bulk garbage collection day can also be identity theft day for some people. This is the time when they can rummage through old computers and possible personal data that can still be recovered from these used devices.
I recently put some of our bulk trash out at the curb as a favor to my wife. As I was stacking things neatly on the sidewalk, the truck (not the official garbage truck) stopped and asked me if I was going to throw my things away. I said yes and looked at the bulky drawers in my hands. They asked if they could keep my things and I said yes. I pulled up the drawers in the back of his truck and there, I saw five computer units, three desktops and two laptops, that appeared to be only a few years old. As the truck drives away, I wonder who previously owned those computers and whether or not each unit is totally inoperable. I also wondered if the data previously stored on those drives was completely erased before being disposed of. A lot of things went through my head that day, but what was I going to do?
It’s quite ironic that people spend too much money buying home security systems, antivirus programs, antispyware software, and firewall applications just to protect the integrity of their data, but they don’t realize how important it is to focus on what we throw it away. In fact, in addition to the computer you leave curbside, your utility bills, bank and credit statements that get thrown in the dumpsters can also expose your identity to identity theft criminals who can be “diving” into your garbage.