If in doubt, shred it!
When you’re throwing out papers, if they contain any kind of personal information it’s best to tear them into pieces or shred them. I used to think people were paranoid when they said that, until I saw a show the other night about identity theft. Going through people’s garbage or recycling bins and finding personal information was a key way for scammers to steal identities.
The most obvious papers to shred are things like statements, bills or receipts, but even offers in the mail that contain your name and address should be torn into pieces. If you’re getting credit card offers, for example, people can use those forms to try and get a card in your name.
