Computerworld has a story on the threat that the new generation of copiers poses to your identity.

We’ve got a fancy copier at the office that I use when submitting expenses. Instead of making copies, it will scan the receipts and send them to me as a PDF. I love it. The first time I used it, I wondered how long the file was stored, where it was stored and who had access to it.

It was more out of curiosity than worry. The identity theft buzz is largely the result of fearmongering by media outlets and companies with a vested interest in getting you to buy shredders and identity theft insurance.

As I read the Computerworld story, I kept thinking “Why is a copier maker pointing out the problems with copiers?”

The answer came at the bottom of the story:

Sharp was one of the first photocopier makers to offer a security kit that encrypts data on the hard drive and “shreds” each copied document by overwriting the image after it’s printed.

They even have a six-page full color brochure on document security solutions (PDF).