Here is a start of what should be shredded before discarding. Just tearing them in half makes it too easy for a dumpster diver to reconstruct the original.

    * Credit card statements
    * Bank statements
    * Utility statements
    * Tax-related information
    * Preapproved credit card applications
    * ATM receipts
    * Paystubs
    * Expired visas and passports.
    * Cancelled or voided checks

We do not think that shredding a credit card and throwing it away is sufficient enough. Either split the shredded card in 3 piles and throw them away on different trash pickup days or burn them.

Sources of identity theft in 2006 (note that 63% of identity theft was from sources the consumer had control over).

    * 30% - businesses (data breaches, bad employees, fraudulent transactions)
    * 30% - lost or stolen wallets, credit/debit cards, and checkbooks
    * 15% - trusted people (family, friends, coworkers)
    * 9%  - stolen mail and rifling through garbage
    * 9%  - computer related (viruses, phishing, hacking)
    * 7%  - other

For some things you can do to help prevent mail theft check out my column HERE