Irish people and Personal Shredders...

jetsonx · 01-05-2006 12:14PM #1

What is the obession Irish people have lately with personal shredders...loads of shops seem to be stocking them now so they must be selling well...why ?

Do Irish people have that much confidential data in their homes or do some people just fancy themselves as CIA agents ? (lets shredd that ESB bill NOW...)

Banphrionsa · 01-05-2006 12:18PM

Identity theft is on the rise. Ever hear of dumpster divers? People who go through your trash in an attempt to obtain credit card numbers, etc.?:eek:

mike65 · 01-05-2006 12:22PM

Identity theft is the fasting growing crime on the planet. Think Shread!

Mike.

leeroybrown · 01-05-2006 12:27PM

If someone is dumping a lot of personal documents why shouldn't they shred them. When I'm dumping credit card statements, bank statements, etc I make sure that I'm not leaving them intact. It doesn't take much information to put someone in a position to commit identity fraud.

I once worked with a guy who found out while doing a previous job that a particular employee who he was managing had been systematically going through his bin. Afterwards he started shredding any personal or work related documents he wanted to dump. Wierd I know but it just shows what some people are willing to do.

Sam Vimes · 01-05-2006 02:07PM

i worked in a phone shop and some poor woman came in because someone had got a bank statement or some such thing in her name and sign her up to about ten different direct debits or contracts etc. the first she heard of signing up to a phone contract was when the bill arrived a month later. its easier than you think

Dooom · 01-05-2006 02:21PM

Hax0rz!

Right_Side · 01-05-2006 02:28PM

Very very foolish not to shread tbh.

Capt'n Midnight · 01-05-2006 04:04PM

Banphrionsa wrote:

Identity theft is on the rise. Ever hear of dumpster divers? People who go through your trash in an attempt to obtain credit card numbers, etc.?:eek:

Thank goodness for green bins, you only have to look once a month and lots less messy.

Pigman II · 01-05-2006 04:13PM

I just like shredding stuff tbh.

Ruu_Old · 01-05-2006 04:56PM

Yeah i like shredding, also identity theft is huge in America and everywhere else tbh.

Idgeitman · 01-05-2006 06:49PM

Pigman II wrote:

I just like shredding stuff tbh.

gotta say, nothing beats a good shread in the afternoon..

Robbo · 01-05-2006 07:41PM

Apparently fire can also be used to destroy personal documents. I'll get around to discovering it right after I finish this round thing I've been working on...

simu · 01-05-2006 08:41PM

Burning is better tbh.

Dooom · 01-05-2006 08:51PM

*Grunt* Fire...good.

/edit: Actually, is credit card/identity fraud protection/insurance not given by the majority of financial institutions as standard nowadays?

lostexpectation · 01-05-2006 10:52PM

Robbo wrote:

Apparently fire can also be used to destroy personal documents. I'll get around to discovering it right after I finish this round thing I've been working on...

ahahaha lol

wouldn't that constitute backyard burning?

ok so now the shops will be selling personal document burning recepticals(TM)

monkeyfudge · 01-05-2006 10:57PM

I got a shredder for my office only last week actually.

People leave so many bits of paper on my desk because they're all rubbish at email... shredding makes me giggle too... my shredder has a reverse option on it too, but I'm scared to use it.

Scraggs · 01-05-2006 11:17PM

Anybody else get a sick pleasure from shredding? I sure as hell do...

Dooom · 01-05-2006 11:20PM

monkeyfudge wrote:

my shredder has a reverse option on it too, but I'm scared to use it.

Ah go on..try it..try it...
It might do something totally unexpected like piece back together an already shredded document.

lostexpectation wrote:

the shops will be selling personal document burning recepticals(TM)

For just £79.99*, you can get this fabulous piece of equipment! Combining the power of fire into a small handheld device, with the ability to destroy those all-important documents that you don't want anyone else to see. More compact than a shredder, aswell as being virtually silent. Just pop it in your pocket when you're done! Introducing....

The Lighter!

*UK RRP Inc VAT.
Irish RRP Ex. VAT ~ €599.99

kaizersoze · 01-05-2006 11:23PM

monkeyfudge wrote:

I got a shredder for my office only last week actually.

People leave so many bits of paper on my desk because they're all rubbish at email... shredding makes me giggle too... my shredder has a reverse option on it too, but I'm scared to use it.

If you shred something you didn't mean to, put it into reverse and it'll put it back together for you....maybe.
Burning is the way to go or if you're really paranoid, burn the contents of your shredder.

monkeyfudge · 01-05-2006 11:41PM

Spike wrote:

Ah go on..try it..try it...
It might do something totally unexpected like piece back together an already shredded document.

There are some things that are best left beyond mans abilities... I'm not going to tamper with the time line just to retrieve my expanded use number from pay pal...

vector · 01-05-2006 11:50PM

possible positive reasons:

to avoid identity theft

possible negative reasons:

people shred their address laden documents so that when they fly tip the local authorities can't trace it back, fly tipping has become more common since the introduction of pay by weight

financially speaking the capital cost of a shredder is much less then the cost of pay by weight

Giblet · 01-05-2006 11:52PM

I have a shredder, but I actually need it because It's used to shred confidential files of other people.

Oh god I hope they don't find out.

Robbo · 02-05-2006 12:00AM

Giblet wrote:

I have a shredder, but I actually need it because It's used to shred confidential files of other people.

Do they know you do this?

Giblet · 02-05-2006 12:01AM

Robbo wrote:

Do they know you do this?

I should really edit my posts quicker so I appear snappier.

cormie · 02-05-2006 12:01AM

That's that, I'm convinced! Now I could either start a new thread in bargain alerts with a [request] or you folk could tell me where's the cheapest place to get one:) Any 2nd hand ones or office neglects hanging about?

rfoley · 02-05-2006 12:04AM

I bought a shredder there a few weeks ago actually after watching a documentary on identity theft. God bless TV.

After seeing how easy it is to do, I thought THE IDEAL place for a potential fraudster to get a job would be in the recycling centre where they bring the green bins to. Paranoid, maybe - but I bought the feckin' shredder just in case.

monkeyfudge · 02-05-2006 12:04AM

cormie wrote:

That's that, I'm convinced! Now I could either start a new thread in bargain alerts with a [request] or you folk could tell me where's the cheapest place to get one:) Any 2nd hand ones or office neglects hanging about?

I got mine for €15 in Easons. It's not a cross cut though.. I think the best ones have a cross cut feature.

Hey Giblet, can I get my birth cert and college degree back off you one of these days? No rush, like...

lostexpectation · 02-05-2006 12:06AM

kaizersoze wrote:

If you shred something you didn't mean to, put it into reverse and it'll put it back together for you....maybe.
Burning is the way to go or if you're really paranoid, burn the contents of your shredder.

Beware of the Penguin!

rfoley · 02-05-2006 12:06AM

I got mine on offer for something like 45 in Maplin - and it makes total ****e of each page. None of these strips or anything. Just confetti.

cormie · 02-05-2006 12:08AM

Someone rob me crosscut one from their office and I'll buy you a sambo!:D *joke*

€45 for a confetti one is a bit pricey. Any other better deals on crosscutters?

John R · 02-05-2006 12:42AM

rfoley wrote:

I bought a shredder there a few weeks ago actually after watching a documentary on identity theft. God bless TV.

After seeing how easy it is to do, I thought THE IDEAL place for a potential fraudster to get a job would be in the recycling centre where they bring the green bins to. Paranoid, maybe - but I bought the feckin' shredder just in case.

You obviously didn't see the programme about recycling companies the other week.

Place in belfast, F all recycling being done, plenty of workers poking about in the recyclables looking for anything interesting.

rfoley · 02-05-2006 01:27AM

Aha! I knew it!

I was thinking if you really wanted to make a go of identity theft, there's hardly a queue of people wanting to get a job in a recycling plant. Easy enough to get in and get frauding. If frauding is a word.

jimmycrackcorm · 02-05-2006 01:35AM

the growth of an economy is measured by the sales of non-essential items such as paper shredders.

blu_sonic · 02-05-2006 01:46AM

well most things are non essential. I thin they are becoming an integral part of business and handy to have in combat to Identity theft.

The remains of the paper can be resused too for packing etc

Guy:Incognito · 02-05-2006 03:30AM

people still print stuff?

Idgeitman · 02-05-2006 08:13PM

If you really want a free shredder all you gotta do is go to your credit union, get a €45 loan. Get a crosscut shredder, then sell the paper as confetti. You'll be making money in no time!, think of all those colourful bank slips and eircom orange & blue confetti swarming around the air at someones wedding!

Ive Opened my franchise last week for this, if anyones interested!

~ Idgeitman

Irish people and Personal Shredders...

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