[Blessings2You]

Just saw an ad for some company...Lifelock?...showing a woman looking through her mail and tossing it in a wastebasket in some public place (missed the first part of the commercial) and some guy ready to pluck her bank statement out of the trash.

I worked at the Post Office for 29 (and a half) years, and I still can't believe the personal stuff people threw in the lobby trash bucket. In recent years, there have been locking recycle containers, but there used to be an open tub. I cleaned it out just about every day, but people took some huge risks. I could tell you stuff. (But I wouldn't)

I shred all that stuff, and sometimes if I have something REALLY sensitive, I'll shred it and then put it in with the garbage. Just in case. If I cut a credit card in pieces, I divide the pieces--it goes out on different days in different trash bags. And for the record, I've been friends with both the trash guy and the recycle guy for decades, but you never know who else down the line has access to your junk.

[Kitty]

It scares me to think of identity theft. But, whoever steals my identity will be highly disappointed! They might even try to give it back to me!

I shred stuff, too. I think just good old common sense prevents alot of problems. I'm always shocked at what some folks will throw away without shredding or personal information they share with complete strangers.