Attorney General's 2007 Photo Gallery
Mid-Missourians fight identity theft at Shred Day in Columbia
September 8, 2007 Columbia-area residents helped protect themselves against identity theft by bringing more than 6,000 pounds of unneeded confidential documents to be shredded at Shred Day on Sept. 8. The event was sponsored by the Missouri Attorney General's Office, the Better Business Bureau and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the use of a mobile shred truck was donated by Cintas Document Management.
Consumers were invited to bring up to three boxes of confidential documents such as check stubs, bank statements and credit card offers. Attorney General Nixon said because identity thieves often obtain information by rummaging through trash cans and finding old bank statements or credit card receipts, shredding sensitive trash was a key way for consumers to fight identity theft.
Staff from the Attorney General's Office and the other participating agencies, as well as other volunteers, were on hand to help consumers unload their vehicles and put the paper in the shredder.
Several home shredders donated by Office Depot also were given away during the course of the event. Among those receiving a free shredder was Bill Watts, who was the first person in line to have documents shredded. He is pictured here with his dog, Dandy, and one of the consumer protection staff members of the Attorney General's Office.