The dangers of paper recycling

[Stonehead]

I've just had a package delivered and part of the packaging was a bag of shredded paper used for padding.

While tipping the shredded paper into the recycling bin, I noticed the documents had been shredded along the lines of text, making it very easy to read the names of people and businesses, their bank details (including sort codes), their credit and debit card details, the amounts they'd spent and so on.

There were also personal notes (eg "Rachel, how about tonight then? My place or yours?"), T***o bills (including cases of Kronenbourg) and notes from what looked like a management meeting.

I've already contacted the business concerned to suggest that, at the very least, they should shred their documents at 90 degees to the text, making it much harder to match up the details.

As for the shredded documents I have, they're going into the council recycling truck this morning and not into the chicken house as I was considering. I'd rather they were someone else's problem and not mine - even if I don't think my hens are not quite up to fraud yet!

It's annoying that this sort of thing happens, when individuals are always being told to keep their banking and card details secure.

[cir3ngirl]

I bought a used mobile phone for my mum on e-bay. As I was setting it up I found a load of numbers stored in the phones memory. I wiped them all off let the seller know.

[Shirley]

Scary!!!!! That could be happening with YOUR details somewhere....

An ex police laptop turned up at a car boot sale recently and it had loads of photos of traffic accident victims... NOT good. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/sou ... 339204.stm

[Chickpea]

Have you all seen theweblogabout the broken laptop?

A guy bought a laptop on ebay, advertised as working, but in fact it wasn't. The seller took the money and vanished when the buyer complained. So the buyer took out the hard drive and hooked it up to another computer. It turned out to contain all kinds of embarrassing information about the fraudulent seller, including nude photos, and fetish photos of women's legs, a CV claiming how honest and reliable he is etc.

Of course the buyer posted everything he found on the internet as revenge for being ripped off. It's funny in a way that makes you feel slightly guilty for enjoying it so much. But if you've ever been ripped off in an ebay transaction, I think you'll like it.

[the.fee.fairy]

that weblog's fantastic!!

[busydaffodil]

what a funny read that is. Fab.

I hope Amir sees it.

[Stonehead]

Amir did see it, put in a complaint to the police and threatened to sue. So far, nothing further has eventuated.

[2steps]

excellent