Protect Your Identity: Dumpster Divers and Trash Pickers Steal Identities

One of the most notorious cases of identity theftdumpsters. Most dumpster rental services provide
prosecuted was a case of dumpster diving. Dumpsterdumpsters that can be locked at night.
diving is when someone goes through other people'sThis article was written by Sherman Rogers of
trash looking for items they can use or sell.All-waste, LLC, a dumpster rental company who
In most cases, the dumpsterdiver is looking forprovides dumpster delivery service and same-day
clothing or household items, discarded by others, butdumpster pick-up service to residential, commercial,
useful to them. Some are even looking for food.retail and industrial customers. Sherman has the size,
Most dumpster divers are harmless; some areshape and competitive priced dumpster for any size
homeless and the items they're looking for arejob. Other services include container service, trash
necessary to their survival.pick-up, hauling rubble, waste removal and delivery of
Then there are the dumpster divers who arelandscaping supplies including mulch, sod, top-soil, crush
desperate; they're hooked on drugs and looking foraggregate and more.
whatever they can find to sell and finance their nextContact:
fix. Back in the 1990's, Stephen Massey leader of anALL WASTE, LLC
identity theft ring, meth addict and dumpster diver,4751 22 Mile Road
stumbled upon the idea of stealing identities when heShelby Township, MI 48317-1515
found barrels of recycled paper in a dump. TheseHours: 8:00am - 5:00pm Eastern Time
barrels contained everything he needed includingMonday - Friday (Excluding U.S. holidays)
names, addresses, birth dates and social securityPhone: 877-524-1002 Fax: 586-254-9936
numbers.Web site:
Massey and his partner were caught and imprisonedEmail: All Waste services Southeast Michigan, including
in the year 2000. This case led to certain legislativethe following counties and cities:
acts forcing corporations and businesses to handleOakland County
personal information more responsibly. Many use--Addison Township, Auburn Hills, Berkley, Beverly
paper shredding services to dispose of paperHills, Bingham Farms, Birmingham, Bloomfield
containing personal and confidential information onTownship, Clawson, Commerce Township,
their customers.Farmington, Farmington Hills, Ferndale, Franklin, Hazel
Corporations and business handling personalPark, Highland Township, Holly, Holly Township,
information with care is good, but people need to doHuntington Woods, Independence Township, Keego
this at home as well. Dumpster divers also go throughHarbor, Lathrup Village, Lyon Township, Madison
trashcans; many have the trash pick-up routes downHeights, Milford, Milford Township, Northville, Novi,
pat and their own schedules as to when they'll be inOak Park, Oakland Township, Orchard Lake, Orion
each neighborhood.Township, Oxford Township, Pleasant Ridge, Pontiac,
Office supply stores sell small paper shredders forRochester, Rochester Hills, Royal Oak,
homeowners as well as larger, commercial gradeSouthfield, South Lyon, Troy, Walled Lake,
shredders for businesses. Very soon, paperWaterford Township, West Bloomfield Township,
shredders will be as common of a household item asWhite Lake Township, Wixom
the microwave oven.Wayne County
People should be using care when throwing out junk--Belleville, Brownstown Township, Canton Township,
mail, especially those annoying pre-approved creditDearborn, Dearborn
card and mortgage loan letters which many peopleHeights, Grosse Pointe Shores, Grosse Pointe Woods,
just throw out without opening. These are a greatHamtramck, Inkster, Livonia, Northville Township,
commodity to the identity thief; just what they needPlymouth, Redford Township, Riverview, Romulus,
to get started in business.Taylor, Trenton, Wayne,
In addition to identity theft, dumpster divers alsoWestland, Wyandotte.
pose a liability risk to business owners who have