Protect Yourself From Identity Theft This Tax Season ~ Fellowes P-12C Paper Shredder Review

With tax season upon us, this is the time of year many of us are receiving a large amount of personal information in the mail. Year after year I find my piles of medical records, paycheck stubs, bank and investment statements, credit receipts, etc. build up until I have no where to put it all. To be honest, I would have discarded of these things that are outdated by now if weren't for the fact that I'm paranoid about identity theft. You hear of this type of thing becoming more and more common and the last thing I want is someone going through my garbage finding documents with bank account numbers and social security numbers on them. Thankfully, I no longer have to worry and can get rid of some of the clutter thanks to the Fellowes P-12C Paper Shredder.


With so many outdated documents that need to be discarded, I was excited when selected to be part of the Fellowes Blog Tour through Mom Central Consulting. We received a Fellowes P-12C Paper Shredder for review.

Features/Benefits:

• Shreds 12 sheets per pass into 5/32” x 2” cross-cut particles (Security Level 3)
• Patented SafeSense® Technology stops shredding when hands touch the paper opening
• Slim profile fits neatly under desks
• 4-gallon bin
• For individual use

When the paper shredder arrived, I was immediately impressed with the quality. This is very durable and something I can tell will last a long time. I've come across several paper shredders in the past that were not nearly as well made.

The size is also something I really appreciated upon first glance. It's a nice size, yet slim enough to fit neatly under a desk or along side one. It's perfect!

Of course, I couldn't wait to test it out. I read through the user-friendly instructions, plugged in the unit and turned it on. Flip the switch to one side to shred papers, and the other side if you need to reverse it in case of a paper jam.

I began shredding some of the paperwork we've accumulated and was impressed to find that it actually shreds 12 sheets of paper per pass. Not only that, but it shreds them into nearly 399 pieces with the Cross-Cut technology. Very impressive! It can even destroy things like paper clips, credit cards and staples! The bin is a 4-gallon which is a very nice size. It's large enough where I don't need to empty it after a few documents. It really does hold a lot!

Aside from the fact that it works great, I greatly appreciate the fact that Fellowes has made safety their priority when creating this shredder. It features a patented SafeSense technology with an electronic sensor that stops the machine when hands come too close to the opening. As you can see in the following picture, if you put your hand too close, the SafeSense light comes on.

I have been very impressed with the the paper shredder from Fellowes. The quality is great and the fact that it helps keep my identity safe is much appreciated! Fellowes, Inc. recognizes the importance of minimizing risk of identity theft, which is why they have developed the following safety tips to help you protect your family, both during tax season and throughout the year.

1. Update personal computers with firewalls and security software, including antivirus programs.
2. Contact the IRS (800-829-1040) if you do not receive W-2 forms and other sensitive information by February 15, as this may indicate that an identity thief intercepted such documents.
3. Send tax returns from a locked mailbox/post office to ensure thieves cannot get to it before the postal service.
4. If sending in tax forms via post mail, make sure all forms, identification documents and enclosed checks are not visible from the outside. Try wrapping everything in an extra sheet of paper to disguise its contents.
5.Keep tax paperwork and other documents in a safe and accessible place, such as a fireproof box.
6.After filing taxes, shred any backup documents with a Cross-Cut paper shredder, like Fellowes’ P-12C, which is essential because it shreds a single sheet of paper into hundreds of tiny particles to ensure confidential information is destroyed beyond recognition.

As you go through all of your important documents this tax season, be sure to take special care in the way you discard them and if you don't have a shredder...I would highly recommend checking out the Fellowes P-12C.

**I wrote this review while participating in a Mom Central Consulting blog tour on behalf of Fellowes. I received a Fellowes paper shredder to facilitate my review.**