The Dangers of Shredding Services – Why You Need a Paper Shredder

Many companies use paper shredding services – perhaps yours is one of them. But while shredding services can be helpful, using them can also be risky. After all, once your sensitive information leaves the building, do you really know what happens to it? How can you be 100% sure your legal documents, credit card information, and personnel files were actually destroyed? The answer is simple: you can’t be sure. That’s why using a shredding service can be dangerous. It not only leaves you vulnerable to security breaches and identity theft, it could also possibly destroy your company’s reputation if your information falls into the wrong hands. But the good news is you can prevent this – and cut your costs – by adding a paper shredder to your lineup of office equipment.

The use of a shredding service may seem like a good thing, especially if the company you use offers on-site document destruction. But even if they do, you need to remember that your private information is still being handled by strangers. Even if the company seems trustworthy, there’s always a chance that there could be a dishonest employee who’s looking to steal your data. Your documents could also be lost or stolen en route to the destruction site and you might never find out about it. Besides, just because you hand your documents over to somebody else doesn’t mean you’re legally off the hook for the information. Your company must still comply with certain types of privacy laws, such as those pertaining to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) and the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA). You don’t want to get into legal trouble for not abiding by these rules. So that, combined with the high risk of information theft, should convince you that having an in-house paper shredder is a good idea. You’ll be able to rest easy when you know exactly what happened to your confidential information – and you won’t need to worry about hiring expensive lawyers.

A paper shredder is typically a one-time investment: you buy it and you’re done. Compare that with the ongoing cost of a shredding service. While it may seem like you’re paying only for the cost of the shredding itself, you’re really paying for the company’s operational costs which will increase every year. These include employee salaries, insurance premiums, and the price of transportation, including gas which is always getting more expensive. Why pay for all these things repeatedly when you can simply buy a paper shredder? Not only does buying one ensure your privacy, it protects your company’s image – and your bottom line.

By now, you know that the drawbacks and potential dangers of outsourcing your document destruction far outweigh the benefits. Choosing to buy and use your own paper shredder is the best way to cut your overhead costs and safeguard your company’s sensitive information. Buy a paper shredder today and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing exactly what happens to your documents and your money.