The National Crime Prevention Council and other agencies provide lots of information that help you protect your confidential information. Some of the types they identify are obvious, but others may contain data you didn’t realize could lead to identity theft and online financial fraud.

Credit card slips are an obvious target for identity thieves. Much of the activity takes place online, but even today two-thirds of financial information theft takes place offline - by digging through trash cans, pilfering from mailboxes, home break-ins and the like.

Tearing credit card slips and placing the pieces in separate bags is helpful, but the trash all winds up at the same place and large pieces are easy to reassemble. Instead of tearing and tossing, shred them, preferably using a confetti or cross-cut shredder. That way the pieces are easily jumbled and end up far apart. Those are very difficult to put back together. Thieves will usually look for easier targets.

Tax records are another obvious candidate for shredding. Your Social Security number and other confidential data is always found on such documents. Shred discarded ones thoroughly, and keep current documents in a secure, locked cabinet.

Expired credit cards are sometimes just tossed into the garbage. But even if they’re cut into pieces, the pieces are easy to reassemble. Manufacturing a new plastic card is easy. Once the account number and - this is especially important - the three or four digit code printed on the card are known, you’re sunk. Thieves can use a machine that’s easy for them to acquire to make a fake card if they want a duplicate.

Once those printed numbers are known, online theft is as easy as accessing the Internet. Often passwords aren’t even required or can be changed with that small amount of information. Credit card companies assume that if you know the printed digits, you and you alone have physical possession of the card and its data. They can only do so much to protect you.

Less obvious information can also be used to execute an identity theft.

It’s easy for someone to claim that they are you, but they’ve lost a driver’s license to prove it. If they can supply your Social Security number and driver’s license number they are much closer to completing the fraud. Make it hard for them by shredding any old driver’s license that may no longer be used. This can occur, for example, if you move from one state to another.

Receipts for purchases made with a credit card will usually only have the last four digits printed. But that may be the only digits the thief is missing to ‘complete the form’ needed to get your account number. Shred them thoroughly.

Insurance forms can have a Social Security number, checking account number and other private financial data written or printed on the form. Shred them.

Shredding old, canceled checks is a no-brainer. They contain not only your account number but the routing number that can be used for electronic wire transfers. Transfers from your account to the thief’s. Shred them confetti-style.

Anything containing your mother’s maiden name, your dog’s or children’s names, birth dates and other information commonly used to form passwords or secure data are a good candidate for shredding.

Be creative. The thieves are. And they’re looking for any opportunity YOU provide them to get the data they need to steal your identity, your financial data and ultimately your money. Since you can’t shred the thieves, shred the documents.

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