First Annual Shred Day Comes to Lawton, OK

With the problem of identity theft growing exponentially throughout the nation and identity thieves who are willing to painstakingly tape your shredded documents back together, local businesses and sponsors have partnered together in an effort to help shed light on this disturbing trend and to assist Lawtonians in protecting their identities.

On Saturday August 4, 2007, the First Annual Lawton Shred Day comes to Lawton, OK. Sponsored by local companies such as City National Bank, File Thirteen, Discount Foods, Edward Jones, Central Mall, Jay Kinder Home Selling Team, Bar-S and Crimestoppers, this new event gives Lawton residents an opportunity to have personal documents shredded by a mobile commercial grade shredder.

Residents are being encouraged to bring their boxes of personal documents to the Central Mall parking lot to be shredded by File Thirteen Confidential Information Destruction Specialists. The organizers and sponsors of the event hope that this will bring attention to the problem of identity theft and help the citizens of Lawton to learn how to better protect themselves against the growing problem of identity theft.

File Thirteen will use their mobile shredder, for Lawton residents only, to shred up to five regular size boxes (copy paper sized) of personal documents free of charge. While residents may be used to using a home shredder that cuts their documents into strips, the mobile "pulperizer" truck being used by File Thirteen will actually beat the paper through a screen turning much of it to dust in an action that will keep potential identity thieves from being able to tape the paper back together and recreate the document.

Experts will be present at the Shred Day activities to talk to people about protecting their personal information. Lawton Crimestoppers will be there, as well as the City National Bank Fraud Protection Team, the U.S. Postal Service and File Thirteen Confidential Information Destruction Specialists. Crimestoppers will be distributing an Identity Theft Quick Tip Guide to the public.

Bring the kids with you when you come. A booth will be set up for fingerprinting your children and photographing them to create identification cards for the Child ID program sponsored by Crimestoppers.

There will also be hot dogs, drinks and face painting, and shirts will be available while supplies last.

The Shred Day activities will take place in the northwest corner of the Central Mall parking lot. The event begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 3:00 p.m., weather permitting.