Documents management, particularly document destruction has become a growing concern for businesses as well as law enforcement in California. Shredding services are a convenient method of ensuring that the business is protecting itself and its clients from identity theft, a crime which has become prevalent in the Bay Area in particular.
There are many ways that criminals obtain private information, and a very simple step that can protect businesses, their associates and clients from theft is document destruction. In Los Gatos, shredding centers provide reliable, safe and convenient services to protect you and your clients from identity theft.
A shredding center is a convenient location where businesses can bring their documents to be shred and observe the documents as they are destroyed. The other option is to call the shredding center and they will send a driver out to your location to pick up the documents for destruction.
Document destruction services are conveniently located near Los Gatos. Shredding centers are only a few minutes’ drive away, or the business can call to arrange a pick up directly from their location.
Most all companies must collect protected information such as credit cards, social security numbers in order to conduct business. Increasingly, the law has made it clear that a responsibility to protect the confidential information remains in the hands of the business after the information has been collected. Over time, laws have passed which make it clear that businesses in charge of maintaining this information are liable for protecting the information.
Specifically, The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 mandates the destruction of documents that contain protected information and cites some but not all of the businesses that are liable for destroying confidential documents. The list includes: consumer reporting companies, lenders, insurers, employers, landlords, government agencies, mortgage brokers, automobile dealers, attorneys or private investigators, debt collectors and individuals who obtain a credit report on prospective nannies, contractors, or tenants.
Therefore, virtually every business must comply with FACT Act and implement a document management and destruction program in order to be in compliance. This includes large corporations as well as small local businesses in Los Gatos. Shredding centers have become the method of choice for most.
The FACT Act states:
Sec. 682.3 Proper disposal of consumer information.
A) Standard. Any person who maintains or otherwise possesses consumer information, or any compilation of consumer information, for a business purpose must properly dispose of such information by taking reasonable measures to protect against unauthorized access to or use of the information in connection with its disposal.
B) Examples. Reasonable measures to protect against unauthorized access to or use of consumer information in connection with its disposal would include implementing and monitoring compliance with policies and procedures that require the burning, pulverizing, or shredding of papers containing consumer information so that the information cannot practicably be read or reconstructed.
The law lists methods available for destruction including shredding, burning and pulverizing. The most effective, cost-efficient and easiest method of destroying these confidential documents is shredding.
Local to Los Gatos, shredding centers are open all day during the workweek for your convenience. If you would like to bring the documents to our shredding center, you may observe the documents as they are destroyed and we you will also receive a certificate documenting that the documents were destroyed for your records. If you prefer to have a driver come to your location and pick up your documents, the service will be documented and certified.