SHRED THAT!

Do you really need to shred all your bills, bank statements, and junk-mail credit card offers? Absolutely. In more than half of the 10 million cases of identity theft reported annually, the victims knew the thieves. All someone needs is access to an account number to go on a QVC binge, free of charge. Thieves also love Dumpster diving. If you don’t shred, the bad guys can grab your private info. Invest in a crosscutting shredder: Paper shredded into strips can be taped back together.