We are all now becoming aware of identity fraud. Unfortunately it seems that there is a new scam or clever fraudulent bit of activity that is coming our way on an increasingly regular basis. With the advent of social media, email, texting having to remember countless passwords and usernames there are now even more ways for the fraudster to convince you to give over details or gain access to the home computer. These are distressing events and it is becoming clear that banks and financial institutions are less inclined to help those that are the victim. Their position is that we’ve been told enough times and that they are doing all they can to stop it from happening. Ultimately, the responsibility is ours.
Despite all the new technological ways we can be scanned one of the most tried and tested for the fraudster is that of the printed material. Whilst we are constantly being asked to “go paperless” there are those of us who feel reassured that we have that monthly statement or bill landing on the doorstep. The only problem comes from actually keeping the information that we are sent. Much of it is of a very sensitive nature and if it fell into the wrong hands and could be used to gain access to accounts or set up fake ones. Even a birth certificate loss could cause problems but it is more likely that something with an address could be a start point. That is where confidential shredding comes in and there are companies such as https://www.printwaste.co.uk/confidential-shredding/ that provide this service.
The shredding of paper came into importance in the early twentieth century. Important documents that need to be disposed of completely without trace became necessary. It was the great inventor Abbot Augustus Low who first came up with a design. However, he was unable to find a producer and the idea fell away. One of the working earliest examples for such a purpose was the author, Adolf Ehinger’s. Ehinger was a writer of anti-Nazi propaganda and if he had been caught he would have faced severe punishment. Using a design based on a pasta maker Ehringer was able to destroy incriminating material before the SS could accuse him. He was able to successfully market the cross-cut shredders to Government, businesses and financial services after the War.
Without the actions of the brave Ehinger and his work we would certainly be facing an uphill struggle in the fight against fraud.
