(PHOENIX, AZ) May 9, 2011 – Valley residents can protect themselves from identity thieves by destroying canceled checks, old tax returns and other unneeded financial documents at a free, daylong Shred-A-Thon hosted by ABC 15 and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. The event will be held on Monday, May 16^th from 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. in the parking lot of ABC 15 at 515 North 44^th Street, Phoenix (NE corner of 44^th St. & Van Buren). Members of the public may bring up to five boxes of documents which will be unloaded by event volunteers and immediately shredded on site at no cost.

“My office is committed to vigorously prosecuting identity theft and working with the community to prevent this crime from happening in the first place,” said Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery. “One of the most effective ways people can protect themselves is to ensure that their personal, financial, and other sensitive information is destroyed. By partnering with ABC 15, we can make that happen – and the best part is, it’s free,” he added.

According to data compiled by the Federal Trade Commission, Arizona ranks second in the nation in identity theft complaints, with employment-related fraud accounting for the most common type of complaint. The largest percentage of complaints is filed by citizens aged 20-29. FTC data also indicates that stolen identities in Arizona are frequently used for tax or wage related fraud.

For more information on how to protect against Identity Theft, please visit the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office website at www.maricopacountyattorney.org.

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