To obliterate your address on packaging

The address labels don't bother me. My name and address are freely available from a number of sources. I only shred things with other details on as well - account numbers, other personal info or if there are any bar/qr codes that might contain extra info.

lemsip they can do that without having to steal your address. All they need to do is walk down a street and choose a number.

There has been a considerable kerfuffle recently about companies being set up for nefarious purposes. No addresses have been stolen. The fraudsters just choose a road and postcode with a pin and then allocate a number. Should we remove all street names and house numbers?

Anything with my details on goes in my compost bin, but any labels that I can't remove I give a rub with a wet metal dish scourer. They just disintegrate. Costs nothing.

A driver’s licence would be sent to the false address used on the application so how would the fraudster get their hands on the licence?

I agree that applying for vehicle insurance using a false address is very easy. It’s why ghost-brokering is a known scam - usually selling cheap insurance to young drivers, but the policy is cancelled within days. The housholder just has the inconvenience of the cancellation paperwork that comes to their address. Why insurers only do ID checks after the policy has been issued is a mystery.

You can’t apply for post redirection at a Post Office without showing ID for each name on the application form: either bank or credit cards, passports, photo drivers’ licences and recent utility bills, bank, credit card or mortgage statements.

If you apply by post, you can only pay using two different cheques each one showing the applicants’ names and the utility bill or statements.

if you apply online, you have to provide a bank card with the same name as the person allegedly applying for the change of address, birth date, access to financial documents and answer security questions.

The Post Office send an acknowledging security letter to the householder’s address so they will be alerted to the scam.

In other words, it’s unlikely anyone could get away with this just by getting someone’s name and address from their recycling.

Can people do stuff with your address?

Scammers can use your old or your new address as proof of residence to obtain a driver's license or open an insurance policy. They can also commit identity theft with a change-of-address scam, a type of fraud that directs your mail straight to the scammer's mailbox.

Thank you I shall try this

Data Destroyer off Amazon makes life a lot easier. One of the best presents I ever received.

Use a sharpie but doesnt always cover completely inspite of a security expert telling me I should cover using up and down strokes, not horizontal. Will try this tip.

I don't even bother. There are so many passwords etc needed now and name and addresses available in telephone directories, electoral register, etc. I feel like I am giving out my undies size at times with security with the bank and such like.

Your name and address doesn't give your age, National Insurance No or whatever.

Do put bank statements on the compost heap though and as previous post worms not scammed me yet!

I don't do this. I will shred sensitive information like bank account info but every time you buy anything on the internet or receive mail, there is somebody who knows your name and address so it seems futile.

Yes, you can but your data is still there for the years up to when you do opt out.

Dickens. Thank you. No it really isn’t just about hiding names and addresses. Recyling waste could just be opportunist starting point for a potential fraud. The bigger threat comes from the way our online activity may be monitored, tracked, shared and sold.

Meta is the worst offender and I wouldn’t touch any of its platforms: Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram etc with a bargepole but billions do.

This article form The Post is a couple of years old - and people may not be able to read it without registering (free) - but it explains how Facebook snoops. Google does the same with Chrome users.

www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/08/29/facebook-privacy-monopoly/

You can opt not to have your details on the publicly available electoral roll.

Quizzer

There is very little point in hiding your name and address a this is in the public domain on the electoral register, which is available to anyone. Account numbers may be more sensitive but these are rarely shown on address labels.

It's not really about hiding names and addresses on packages from Amazon, etc.

As pointed out above in a post from TIN SOLDIER ,

I have one of those ink roller things but now we just put receipts etc in the washing up bowl after rinsing plates, cups etc. and then just screw them up.

I saw it to and tried it and it works ☺️

Indeed, but do I spy a return address at the top of the paper? Do you ink over that too?

Black sharpie for me too.

Just to add there are definitely addresses etc. under the ink in the photo.

My daughter gave me this ink roller as a stocking filler several Christmases ago. I use it on all addressed recycling. Ink refills are easily available but the ink lasts for ages.

Water does the job too (drop of water on your fingertip does it)

Crumbs! I've never done any of this either ex top right hand corner of bank statements. I can see that worry breeds worry, though, and once people get going with their pens and rollers and gels it must be hard to know where to stop.

Thank you very useful tip.

I have used hand sanitiser gel since Covid and it really works but not on all labels. If it doesn't work I use my iron or hairdryer to remove the whole label. I do this mainly so I can reuse the packaging to send birthday gifts etc. We have had a shredder for years so use that too especially if our 6 year old grandson comes as he loves to shred and always vacs afterwards in case there are bits on the floor

Why bother?

Anyone who wants our addresses can simply google our names and find out precisely where we live and what our phone no. e-mail address, age and civil status is.

I don’t understand the point - who’s going to rummage through the recycling boxes, just to find an address - what good is a random address to anyone ?