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22 | p2p Magaz i ne | Autumn 2010 0870 903 9500
National Identity Fraud
PreventionWeek
NIFPW estimates that the cost to the
UK economy of fraudsters stealing
corporate identities to support
unlawful practices is as high as £1.2
billion. Common practices include
changing the name of company
principals and addresses and using
a business's trading reputation to
acquire goods and services on credit;
and acquiring bank account details
and signatures in order to fraudulently
access a company bank account.
The amount of information that
businesses routinely hand out –
from bank account numbers to VAT
registration details – is so great that
the prospect of implementing measures
to protect one's business can seem
daunting.
This year's National Identity Fraud PreventionWeek
(NIFPW) will focus on the risks to business, following
last year's revelation that more than one third of
UK businesses don't have comprehensive policies or
procedures in place to help prevent identity fraud.
However, NIFPW's supporters, which
include organisations as diverse as the
Metropolitan Police, the Federation of
Small Businesses, Equifax, Experian, the
Home Offce, Royal Mail and Fellowes
(amongst others), point out that there
are simple steps that a business can take
to minimise the chances of becoming a
victim of corporate identity fraud, from
educating employees about the risks to
shredding waste paper.
To help drive home the message that
the problem can be tackled, this year's
campaign, fronted by TV presenter John
Inverdale, will feature the inaugural
Identity Fraud Prevention Awards. Set up
Identity fraud continues to be one of
the fastest growing crimes in the UK, so
protecting personal information has never
been more important. The personal shredder
was invented by Fellowes in 1990. Previously
all that had existed were enormous
commercial shredders that could leave
individuals and small businesses vulnerable,
as sensitive information could be lost in the
transit process. The safest way to ensure your
data is not misused is to shred it yourself,
immediately.
In the last 10 years the shredder has again
evolved, and we now have the 100% Jam
Proof shredder, a more intelligent, intuitive
and effective tool for protecting your business.
100% Jam Proof machines can shred CDs/DVDs,
credit cards, staples and paper clips in a matter
of seconds. All 100% Jam Proof shredders are
‘cross-cut’ – meaning that they cut documents
into confetti-sized pieces that are nearly
impossible for anyone to stick back together.
100% Jam Proof shredders are also equipped
with the frst ever 100% Jam Proof System,
for worry-free shredding. 100% Jam Proof
technology features a sophisticated sensor that
measures the thickness of a paper stack and
alerts the user to a potential jam before it can
occur.
Fellowes’ patented SafeSense technology is
also built in to all 100% Jam Proof shredders,
meaning that the shredder automatically
shuts down if a hand gets too close during
the shredding operation. Fellowes’ new noise-
reducing SilentShred technology is also inbuilt,
for ultra-quiet operation – ideal for the home
and offce environment.
As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the
personal shredder we pause to think how far the
shredder has come in the last 10 years alone.
We now have the power in our hands to protect
ourselves and our businesses so go ahead, shred!
www.fellowes.co.uk
to highlight the steps that businesses can
take to secure their identity, the awards
will recognise businesses that are leading
the way in protecting themselves from
fraud or inspiring and educating others
to do the same.
Businesses can fnd out more about
how to protect themselves by visiting
the Resources Section of the NIFPW
website (address below). There's a
wide choice of material available,
including a practical guide to identity
fraud for business, a guide to records
management, posters and leafets.
www.stop-idfraud.co.uk
The evolution of the shredder
DIARY DATE: OCTOBER 18-24, 2010
Fellowes highlights the major developments in personal shredders since
their invention 20 years ago