Privacy Compliance
The government requires rigorous privacy laws due to identity theft and fraud. Almost any document with a name and address on it must be destroyed after a certain period of time.
Identity Theft
Identity theft is the fastest-growing crime in the USA, according to the National Crime Prevention Council. As many as 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year and each will spend an average of $1,495 and over 600 hours getting his or her finances straightened out (not including lawyers’ fees!)
Avoid the hassle, frustration and hours of work trying to fix the situation by hiring Cutters to shred all personal and confidential information in a legal and safe manner on-site at your location.
Compliance with Laws
The law states that if you employ just one person — a nanny, a housekeeper, home health care worker — and you have their personal information, you must “destroy” the information before you throw it away.
More than 40 federal laws require that all businesses, healthcare facilities and financial institutions protect their clients’ confidential information. All of these laws essentially recommend secure document destruction that companies such as Cutters Document Destruction offers. Call us today at 480.264.7454 to learn more about compliance with these laws and how Cutters is an effective and affordable solution.
Client and Patient Privacy
If you are a small business or a large worldwide corporation, you have an obligation to keep customer information confidential and within your possession. Cutters Document Destruction knows the ins and outs of all current privacy legislation including FACTA, HIPAA, and other regulations and laws designed to safeguard personal information.
Competition and Workplace Privacy
In today’s highly competitive world, competitors are looking for any advantage available and are not above seeking your company’s confidential documents. They are potentially looking to seize opportunities that may be readily available in the trash or recycling dumpster.
Cutters Document Destruction conducts complimentary security audits to help you identify how confidential information may be slipping through the cracks of your business. Based on audit results, we can help you write shredding plans and procedures that will tighten your security and protect your business.
HIPAA
Professionals and organizations in the medical field also have great legal incentive to prevent confidential information from falling into unwanted hands. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) strictly regulates breaches of privacy, which it extends to the unauthorized release of such personal information such as name, address, and medical conditions.
Everyone from physicians, nurses, and pharmacists to hospital administrators can find themselves subject to both civil and criminal penalties for breaching patient security and privacy. Destroying patient information on your own can still place you at greater risk because it doesn’t leave a verifiable confirmation for proof of destruction.
FACTA Compliance
Financial institutions must comply with FACTA, an amendment to the Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970 that protects consumers against identity theft.
One important element of FACTA is that it requires creditors and financial institutions to take “reasonable measures to protect against unauthorized access to or use of consumer information” by employing proper disposal. This means that ensuring proper destruction and disposal of such information is required for companies to adhere to FACTA regulations.
Failure to comply with FACTA regulations can open you to class-actions lawsuits of up to $1,000 per individual violation. In addition, such a lawsuit could bring unfavorable media attention, a tarnished reputation, and lost business.
