With the arrival of Christmas, houses are filled with packages that come and go full. However, when it comes to discarding them there is a detail that few pay attention to: the labels. Throwing away a box with personal information can become the gateway to much more serious problems, such as identity theft.
In this sense, the Civil Guard has issued an urgent reminder: before discarding any package, make sure to remove or destroy labels that contain personal information. Many times, these tags include names, addresses and even contact numbers, details that can fall into the wrong hands and be used for criminal purposes.
To avoid this, experts recommend simple methods such as using a little hydroalcoholic gel to erase the ink from labels, an accessible solution that anyone can apply at home. Another alternative is to directly cut or tear the labels, ensuring that the data cannot be read or recovered.
Rummaging through trash, increasingly common among criminals
One of the techniques most used by criminals to obtain personal information is known as ‘dumpster diving’ which consists of searching through the trash of individuals or companies in search of documents discarded without due precautions.
Invoices, bank statements, letters and other papers can become a treasure for those looking for data that allows them to commit fraud or identity theft. Therefore, it is essential to shred or destroy any document containing sensitive information before throwing it away.
However, it is worth noting that phishing remains the most common strategy for stealing personal data. In this case, criminals send emails or messages pretending to be from trusted companies, such as banks or parcel services, asking for confidential information. The main advice is to be wary of any request that asks for sensitive data and, if in doubt, contact the entity in question directly to verify its authenticity.
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