Jim Winsett of the BBB. Q. Please advise the date and guidelines for the BBB "Shred Day" event for this October?
A. The Better Business Bureau serving Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia will host its biannual shredding event from 9 a.m. to noon Friday October 13 at Scenic Community Credit Union, 4503 Hixson Pike, and Saturday, Oct. 14, at Lee Pointe, intersection of Lee Highway and Highway 153. This program is part of the BBB's effort to help people protect themselves from identity theft by shredding confidential documents.
The recent security breach at Equifax that impacted over 145 million consumers is a vivid reminder that we must all be diligent in protecting our personal identity. As reminder if you have not checked the Equifax website to see if you are a victim, please do so soon and freeze your credit. www.equifax.com. Please visit bbb.org/Chattanooga to view consumer advice regarding the Equifax data breach.
The public is invited to bring up to three boxes of documents to be shredded for free. We will also shred two PC Hard drives for free.
This is the 11th year that the BBB's across North America has hosted this community event. We are often asked a variety of questions; here are the top frequently asked questions:
» 1. Do I need to unload the boxes myself? No. You simply stay in your car, pull up to the side of the shredding truck and someone will carry your boxes from your car to the shredder. There will be staff and signs to direct you.
» 2. What size do the boxes need to be? We do not have a limit on the size of the box. However, the boxes need to be small enough so that they can be lifted out of your car by one person.
» 3. What if I have more than three boxes to be shredded? We may be able to accommodate extra boxes, depending on space available. However, we reserve the right to turn away anyone with a large quantity. Be considerate of other consumers who have documents to be shred.
» 4. How do I know that it's safe to drop off my confidential documents? Any documents brought to Shred Day will be shredded on the spot by Shred It, a professional document destruction company. If you like, you may watch documents be shred. PC Hard drives will also be shred onsite. If needed, resources will be available to remove the hard drive from the PC. PC's may also be recycled. Please do not bring monitors.
» 5. Do I need to remove staples, paper clips on other metal objects? No. However, we ask that you remove any large metal clips, if possible. Please do not bring items in plastic bags, which cannot be shred and may jam the shredder.
» 6. Is there a charge? No. The event is free and provided as a community service by the Better Business Bureau and its community partners; Scenic Community Credit Union, Shred It, Inc., and Resource 1 Electronics. Media partners; Chattanooga Times Free Press, Cumulus Broadcasting, Brewer Broadcasting and Bahakel Communications.
» 7. What needs to be shredded? Any unneeded document containing your personal information, such as your driver's license number, Social Security number, financial account numbers and birth date needs to be shredded. In addition, things like pre-approved credit offers, which identity thieves can steal out of your mailbox or garbage cans and use to take out credit cards in your name.
» 8. Will the event be held if it rains? Yes, Shred Day will be conducted rain or shine.
Jim Winsett is president of the Better Business Bureau in Chattanooga.