Company Copiers and Identity Theft -- Is Your Company at Risk?
Learn how your company copier put you at risk
Criminals are always looking for a new and sneaky way to commit identity theft. When it comes to copiers, they might just hit the mother lode. Even today, when the cost of identity theft is on the rise, many companies are still blind to the damage thieves can do with out-of-date company copiers. Learn the risks and how to prevent them to protect your company.
Identity Theft and the Company Copier
When businesses replace copy machines, sometimes the company sends them to e-waste centers. Usually, they wind up at wholesale warehouses. What's so bad about that? You have to take into consideration that copy machines have become very advanced. Gone are the days where the copier only made copies.
The copy machines of today come complete with hard drives so employees can start print jobs remotely. To do this, documents must be saved and stored to the copier's hard drive. This is a great, timesaving feature convenient for employees and for increasing company efficiency.
Problem is each copier can hold up to 15 to 20 thousand documents with potentially company-sensitive information. Think for a minute all the printing that takes place on the company printer. From accounting, to product specifications, marketing strategy to salaries, confidential financial statements, and personal employee information. This information is a gold mine for corporate identity theft.
Avoid Identity Theft
What can your company do to protect its private and sensitive company information? Until you purposely remove the files or old documents get pushed out to make room for new documents, the files stay on your copier.
The only way to clean your company copier is by hiring a company who specializes in copier security. Before disposing or replacing your company copier, it is very important to have the files removed. A quick search online for 'digital copier security' will get you started in finding a company in your area that specializes in clean copier hard drives.
You owe it to your company, your employees, your patients, and your customers, to delete all potentially harmful and sensitive information from your company copier before disposal. By doing so; you can prevent identity theft for not only your company, but all who do business with you.