FORT MYERS, Fla., July 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Businesses in Southwest Florida now have a new tool to battle identity theft and privacy invasions.

SafeGuard Destruction Services of Ft. Myers has earned the prestigious AAA certification from the National Association for Information Destruction, which sets industry standards for information disposal companies.

"In the era of identity theft, 'good enough' doesn't cut it when protecting client and patient privacy," says Shirley Roth, SafeGuard president. "NAID certification is the best assurance that a firm's document destruction services can be trusted."

SafeGuard earned the certification by submitting to annual and unannounced audits by an independent Certified Protection Professional (CPP). The audits ensure SafeGuard consistently meets the industry's most stringent security and integrity standards.

Thousands of Southwest Florida companies are required to destroy sensitive data -- such as health records and employee information -- to comply with privacy regulations such as HIPPA, FACTA and Gramm-Leach-Bliley. Medical centers, financial institutions, insurance providers, and lawyers are among those required to comply.

SafeGuard now exceeds the highest standards for document destruction. Only 21 shredding companies in the state of Florida have earned the coveted AAA certification.

"Compliance with privacy regulations is a major liability for Florida businesses," explains Roth. "SafeGuard helps these companies avoid civil and criminal penalties by making document destruction more reliable, more trustworthy, and more convenient."

SafeGuard is the only Florida company certified for hard drive destruction, and specializes in off-site shredding, which is up to 50 percent more cost-effective and more environmentally sound than on-site shredding.

The firm offers optional "virtual on-site shredding," a service that allows customers to monitor the off-site shredding of their documents via a secure internet link.

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Source: SafeGuard Destruction Services