WFLA Shred-A-Thon

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA ) — Sunday is 8 On Your Side’s annual Shred-a-Thon, where we give the community a chance to get rid of personal information safely.

The goal is to keep data out of the hands of crooks. Identity theft is on the rise, especially here in the Sunshine State.

Recent Federal Trade Commission data shows Florida tops the list of all states for identity theft cases.

Our Shred-a-Thon helps the community get rid of old documents and electronics before they get into the wrong hands. Anna Marie Fiallos of Pinellas County Consumer Protection sees the results of ID theft every day.

“I’m very excited you guys are having a shredding event,” Fiallos said “I think it’s the best way for consumers to dispose of their personal and financial documents, so definitely take advantage of it.”

Consumer Investigator Shannon Behnken went to the warehouse at Urban E. Recycling in Tampa. The warehouse is full of boxes of items that will be turned into something else. Data is destroyed and valuable pieces of the devices—retrieved from computers, cell phones, pretty much anything with copper—are recycled.

Greg Rabinowitz gave Shannon a first-hand look at what happens to the items his company collects during the Shred-A-Thon. He said batteries are a hot item this year, and so are old X-rays. When it comes to electronics, the data should always be shredded, he said.

News Channel 8 anchors will be at the event, handing out giveaways. Look for The Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleaders and mascot Captain Fear to pop up in the car line and say hello while snapping some selfies you share on social.

If you go, be sure to get in line early!