Well, I think ID theft IS a bigger deal than some of the manufactured news, but it doesn't happen as a result of phone lists.  I don't live in a big city like Chicago, but I do know people that it has happened to in no small way, and it is U-G-L-Y. What CAN happen as a result of my not shredding my clients' less-than-public information is that our not-exactly-freedom-giving government could get their grubby little paws on it.  Will that happen? Very, VERY unlikely. Could it? Could Uncle Sam or the state use something against them? Sure. Possible. It's a simple, small courtesy I do for my customers. In my former corporate job, I used to get calls from headhunters (I STILL DO for that matter!) and the company insisted on special disposal of the printed company phone directories when new ones were circulated. That was in the company's interest so that these headhunters couldn't get their hands on a book and start recruiting our staff for other businesses firms (oh, but it sure did happen anyhow!)  I don't feel that's an issue here, and I have no qualms about my name etc. going in the recycling (as opposed to needing to be shredded.) Paul Bruesch Stillwater, MN <div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Jun 8, 2008 at 10:58 AM, Tom Sivak <<a href="mailto:tvaktvak@sbcglobal.net">tvaktvak@sbcglobal.net</a>> wrote: <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"> Don't shred my name!  Some of my best customers have gotten my phone number out of the trash heap! Seriously, is identity theft really such a big problem?  Do you know ANYONE who has had their identity stolen?   I don't, and I'm not in the least bit worried about it. The news media has to generate so many stories to keep people buying papers, watching the news, etc.  They latch onto anything that might generate public interest, and what generates interest better than a scare tactic? I give my phone number out every day.   My address is on my business card.   You can find out things about me on the web.  When I sign my client's checks I have to put my checking account number on the back. What harm is someone picking up the directory out of the trash going to do? Tom Sivak </blockquote></div>