Did you know that in 2009, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre received over 11,000 identity fraud reports from Canadian victims, totalling a loss of more than 10 million dollars? The most reported incidents involved payment card fraud but several instances of identity theft and fraud continue to go unreported. Not surprisingly, identity thieves still rely on basic methods such as sifting through discarded physical documents in search of credit card information, bank account numbers, signatures, passports, and other personal information. Since March is Fraud Prevention Month, it is the perfect time of year to pull out your shredder and put it to work. This year, I will be using my new Powershred 79Ci Cross-Cut Jam Proof Shredder by Fellowes.

With tax season right around the corner, I found myself in spring cleaning mode recently and took to shredding old income tax documents. The Canada Revenue Agency only requires that you keep supporting documents for six years but I hadn't sorted through my old files in quite some time. And neither had my husband, who also happens to be a small business owner. Needless to say, I had my work cut out for me. And yet, it didn't seem like work at all. With my super cool Fellowes shredder, I actually had a great time shredding, shredding and shredding some more. 

You see, the Powershred 79Ci can shred up to 14 sheets at once into small cross-cut particles and can hold up to 6 gallons of shredded documents. It also shreds staples, small paper clips, credit cards and CDs. My favourite feature? The Powershred 79Ci boasts SilentShred™ technology that makes shredding ultra-quiet. And I mean, quiet! I couldn't believe it until I heard it with my own ears.

To learn more about how to prevent identity theft, visit the Royal Canadian Mounted Police web page on Identity Theft and Identity Fraud. Also, tune in on March 1st at 8 PM EST for a #FellowesProtects Twitter party where you will learn how to protect yourself against one of the fastest growing crimes in Canada. 

Disclosure: I am participating in a Fellowes identity theft campaign and have received special perks. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Fellowes also sent over an I-Spire Series Lumbar Cushion for me to try out as it targets one of my most troublesome areas - my lower back. Designed to help reduce back tension, the cushion is made with breathable mesh fabric and has an adjustable strap with buckles. I wanted to use it at work but the back of my office chair is quite narrow which meant I couldn't tighten the strap enough to prevent it from moving. So I now use the lumbar cushion in my home office and the Professional Series Back Support in my work office.

We all know that good posture is important but I wanted to share some tips from Fellowes on how to improve the way we sit at our desks. My short-legged self needs to try the first one. I've never had a foot rest at my desk before but I suspect I would greatly benefit from one.

To learn more about the remaining zones, visit the Fellowes Solution Centre. Additionally, you can read about how Sheri of Kidsumers tackled Zone 3: Neck, Shoulder and Eye Strain. For more tips on how to achieve a healthy and comfortable workspace, I highly recommend that you refer to Fellowes' Ergonomic Checklist. There are so many useful suggestions so you may want to bookmark it for later reference.

Did you know that 9 out of 10 people suffer from pain linked to poor desk habits? Given that we spend an average of seven hours each day in front of a computer screen, it really isn't that surprising. I think back to when I took a keyboarding course in high school and one of the first things we were taught was correct posture, from the positioning of your feet to where you rest your hands and wrists. Posture is definitely important when sitting at a desk for long periods of time but how often do we remember to do a posture check? At least 19% of work-related pain is caused by improper posture while 1 in 2 people experience neck strain, eye strain and/or headaches while working at their desks. And back pain? Oh, the back pain! I'm one of the 70% of people who experience back pain while working at a computer. My lumbar region can attest to that. Hence the reason I am thrilled to be testing out the Fellowes Professional Series Back Support. Yes, I'm in ergonomic heaven!

On January 21, Fellowes Canada invites you to chat about home office ergonomics at the @FellowesCanada #WorkSmart Twitter party. This is definitely one you don't want to miss because have some pretty amazing prizes to be won. Trust me, your lower back will thank you for it!

Moderators: @Listen2Lena @kidsumers @TeacherMomofTwo @Candace_Dx

Prizes:

1. I-Spire Laptop Lapdesk  (Value: $30.00)
2. I-Spire Mobile prize pack: Tablet lift, Phone and Pencil station (Value: $50.00)
3. $100 Staples Gift Card
4. $100 Staples Gift Card
5. I-Spire Prize Pack (includes: Monitor Support, Mouse pad wrist rocker, Keyboard wrist rocker, Lumbar support, Document Lift, Foot Support. VALUE: $220.00)
6. GRAND PRIZE: Complete Home Office Set-up [incudes: ISpire Series collection (Monitor Support, Mouse pad wrist rocker, Keyboard wrist rocker, Lumbar support, Document Lift, Foot Support, Phone and Pencil Stand, File Station), 73Ci Powershred Shredder, AP200 Air Purifier, Décor Boxes, Décor Literature Sorter and Décor Mag File. VALUE: OVER $825.00]

Feeling overwhelmed by the paperwork that comes with tax season? March is a good time to shred all documents you don’t need and any that are more than 7 years old. And since it is Fraud Prevention Month, I have included a top 10 list of documents that you need to shred. You can find this and other Identity Theft Prevention Resources on the Fellowes Canada Facebook fan page.

For me, March ranks up high on the list of favourite months. Although this year may be a rare exception, it is usually the month when the snow starts to melt away as we transition into spring. It is also the perfect time of year to enjoy a week off of work after what is often a busy winter for us teachers. Spending time with the kids, having dinner with old friends and catching up on missed TV shows are some of the ways I pass the time during March break. But it isn't all fun and games. During the week, I make sure to get started on spring cleaning as well as get organized for the much dreaded tax season.

While I am not the most organized person on the planet, I can at least say I have a decent filing system for important documents, bills and other papers. I even printed labels for each of my files, too! Granted, I did so when I had more time on my hands, prior to having kids, and thus subsequent file folders may or may not be labeled by hand. But that's besides the point. As long as I know where everything is, I'm happy. I used to have all my files alphabetized but now I simply ensure that my income tax folder is at the very front so it is easily accessible. Once I have received T4 slips, receipts for charitable donations and daycare fees, or any other relevant documents, I slip them right into my income tax folder. Then I pass on the folder to my bookkeeper and cross my fingers that I don't have pay even more taxes than I already do. 

As part of my spring cleaning, I make it a habit to dispose of any unnecessary documents as well as any old credit, debit, or photo ID cards. But I don't cut them into little pieces using a regular pair of scissors like I used to. Not ever since I fell victim to fraud when someone managed to make a purchase using my debit card number. Now I shred them. To bits. And this year, I have a brand new heavy duty shredder from Fellowes to help make the job easier. The Fellowes® Powershred® P-12C Shredder, available at Walmart, can shred up to 12 sheets using cross-cuts and can shred credit cards, paper clips and staples as well. It also has a 4-gallon pull-out waste basket and is built with patented SafeSense®  Technology that stops shredding when hands touch the paper opening.

Here is a list of Top 10 Must-Shred Documents.

Since March is Fraud Prevention Month, Fellowes wants to help you properly dispose of your important documents by offering up a Powershred P-12C to one of my readers. Simply fill out the form below to be eligible to win. Also, mark your calendars for the Fellowes Twitter party which will be held on March 26 at 9pm EST. RSVP today!