Abilene Shred Day Helps Protect You From Identity Theft

Identity theft is one of those things most of us never think about until it happens to us. Unfortunately, it happened to me.

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A few years ago, I was preparing for one of the annual Rudy Cruises that I've hosted for years when I received a phone call that stopped me in my tracks. I was told my new debit card had been mailed to my new address in Florida.

There was only one problem. I don't live in Florida. I live right here in Texas.

Thankfully, we caught the problem before it became a financial disaster, but it served as a reminder that identity thieves are always looking for opportunities. That's why I wanted to share a free service being offered by Abilene Teachers Federal Credit Union that could help protect your personal information.

Identity Theft Can Happen to Anyone

Many of us have old bank statements, credit card offers, insurance paperwork, tax records, and other documents sitting in boxes, desk drawers, or filing cabinets.

The problem is that those papers often contain personal information that criminals can use to open accounts, change addresses, access financial records, or even steal your identity.

While many people focus on protecting their information online, it's just as important to properly dispose of physical documents that contain sensitive information.

A Free Service for Teachers Federal Credit Union Members

Teachers Federal Credit Union is helping members do exactly that by hosting a FREE Shred Day on Tuesday, June 16.

The Shredding Services of Texas truck will be on-site at Teachers Federal Credit Union, located at 3849 Antilley Road in Abilene, from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

The event gives members a safe and secure way to destroy outdated personal documents rather than simply tossing them into the trash, where they could potentially be accessed by someone else.

What You Need to Know Before You Go:

• This service is available to individual Teachers Federal Credit Union members only.
• Businesses and organizations are not eligible to participate.
• Members are asked to limit their shredding to three file boxes or three kitchen trash bags of paperwork. Paper clips and staples do not need to be removed, but any plastic materials should be taken out before documents are shredded.

Protecting More Than Just Your Wallet

Identity theft can cost victims time, money, and countless hours trying to repair damaged credit and financial records.

That's why events like this are so valuable. They provide a simple, free, and convenient way to help protect personal information before it falls into the wrong hands.

If you've been putting off cleaning out old files, bank statements, credit card offers, or other paperwork containing personal information, this might be the perfect opportunity to finally get it done.

Trust me, spending a few minutes shredding old documents is far easier than spending months trying to recover from identity theft.

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