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Shred Days provide safe document, data disposal
MISSISSIPPI STATE – Protecting personal information and preventing identity theft require Mississippians to be careful with documents, especially when it is time to get rid of them.
Shredding documents is the best way to prevent personal information from falling into the wrong hands. The Mississippi State University Extension Service has joined with the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and several other organizations to offer six collection events for the safe disposal of personal papers.
Individuals may bring up to five boxes or bags of documents to the eighth annual Mississippi Shred Days on March 7 and 8 at various locations. A partnership with Magnolia Data Solutions will make it possible this year for consumers to safely dispose of an unlimited number of digital storage devices such as old computer hard drives and cell phones.
“Shred Days are intended to raise community awareness of the risks of identity theft and to provide Mississippi citizens access to document shredding, one of the simplest, most effective ways to protect sensitive data,” said Lana Fuqua, project coordinator in the Consumer Protection Division of the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office.
On March 7, individuals may bring documents and digital storage devices from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. to the Home Depot on I-55 North in Jackson or the Wal-Mart Supercenter on North Gloster Street in Tupelo. During the same hours on March 8, individuals can bring these items to the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Highway 19 North in Meridian, the Home Depot on Halls Ferry Park Road in Vicksburg, the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Highway 98 in Hattiesburg or the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Sangani Boulevard in D’Iberville.
This service will be free for individuals. It is not designed to shred documents for businesses. The documents will be shredded on-site, and the devices containing personal data will be destroyed. While there is no limit to the pieces of old equipment that can be turned in, monitors, televisions and other items made of glass will not be accepted.
Contact the local county Extension office for more information on these events.
