FACTA Compliant Document Destruction

If you handle consumer information in any way, you are subject to Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA).  This act was created as an amendment to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to set forth provisions intended to protect consumers from identity theft.  The amendment sets forth requirements for the safeguarding of certain information and FACTA compliant destruction when the data is no longer needed.

FACTA and Your Business

One of the ways FACTA protects consumers is by requiring the secure disposal of any records that contain identifying consumer information or that could be used to identify individuals. This information, referred to as “personally identifiable information” (PII) might include:

• Names
• Email addresses
• Physical addresses
• Social security numbers
• Driver’s license numbers

The law states that “reasonable measures” must be taken to dispose of this information. Typically, shredding, burning, or otherwise destroying records with this information is sufficient to comply with FACTA’s disposal rule.

While most of the regulations under FACTA mainly concern financial institutions and consumer reporting agencies, the disposal rule applies to anyone who handles consumer information, so making sure you have a plan for secure document destruction is key to preventing liability issues.

Secure Document Destruction

At Armstrong Archives, we provide secure document shredding services for paper files, hard drives, computer tapes, CDs, and other media. We are fully compliant with FACTA in that we take every reasonable measure possible to make sure your documents are fully protected throughout the disposal and destruction process. Some of the methods we use to ensure security include:

• Locked destruction bins and consoles which we empty out as needed
• Discreet retrieval and transport of documents
• Destruction of documents in a facility surveilled by cameras
• Thorough, professional shredding of all media types
• Up-to-date technology

Why worry with the hassle and liability of handling document destruction yourself?  The find for failing to properly dispose of PII is up to $2,500 per file!  For more information on the benefits of third party secure document destruction, contact Armstrong Archives today.