Gov. Cox declares ‘Declutter Day in Utah,’ aimed at identity theft, fraud prevention
Apr 15, 2025, 10:50 AM
The block U appears on the front of the J. Willard Marriott Library on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. (Ben B. Braun, Deseret News)
(Ben B. Braun, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – Just in time for spring cleaning, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox declared April 18 ‘Declutter Day in Utah,’ focusing on providing resources to help residents discard sensitive information to reduce the risk of identity theft and fraud.
The Utah Division of Consumer Protection and the University of Utah’s Sustainability Office partnered to host an event that will provide secure resources for Utahns to shred private information, “such as bank statements, tax records, and medical bills.”
At the Declutter Day event, electronics and their data can also be safely disposed of, a release from the Utah Division of Consumer Protection said.
“We encourage citizens to take advantage of this opportunity to safely dispose of any old items that may contain personally identifiable information to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands,” Katie Hass, director of the Utah Division of Consumer Protection, said.
Related: An unexpected tax form in your mailbox could signal identity theft
In Nov. 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah reported in the first two quarters of 2024, Utah residents lost $55.2 million to fraud. According to the Utah Division of Consumer Protection, there were over 5,000 reports to the Federal Trade Commission of identity theft in Utah in 2024.
“Identity theft is among the highest reported crimes reported to the Federal Trade Commission within the State of Utah,” Hass said.
Declutter Day Event
This year’s Declutter Day event will be held at the University of Utah Guardsman Lot on Friday, April 18 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
To protect personal security, the event will provide resources for medication disposal, document shredding and electronics disposal, “ensuring their data is properly destroyed and e-waste is handled responsibly,” a release said.
Utahns can also donate medical equipment and gently used household items. The list of acceptable items for donation and disposal can be found on the official event page.
On Friday, Division representatives will be present to provide information on consumer protection resources and fraud awareness for those who would like to know more.
