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Our secure electronic data destruction services make up a good bulk of our business, as companies and homeowners alike recognize the danger of letting their discarded digital documents go unchecked. Though we don’t need it, our services have been vindicated by an early episode of the USA Network’s hit-series, Mr. Robot. For those of our readers who are following along with Mr. Robot’s second season, please don’t spoil us; we’re still a little behind. The first season, however, is fair game, and we’d like to recall a scene from its second episode.

Still reeling from his forced meeting with Tyrell Wellick, the main character, Elliot, decides to hack the CTO of Evil Corp. Halfway through the job, Elliot realizes it’s too easy to hack Tyrell, making him believe the CTO let him in order to get his digital trace. To hide the evidence of his hack, viewers watch the computer programmer completely dismantle his set-up. Elliot even goes as far as microwaving his SD cards and drilling holes through his hard drive in order to wipe any sign of his mistake from his computer.

This episode says a lot about how digital memory is stored and retained. In the sphere of the show, where elite computer programmers abound, the typical means average people use to delete information isn’t enough. Overwriting or reformatting the HDD several times is not only time consuming, it’s also not foolproof, as some of the data is retained. A dedicated and talented programmer will still be able to work around these overwrites.

Mr. Robot may be fiction, but it’s based in a world that’s almost identical to our own. We aren’t suggesting that those who take advantage of our electronic data services are using them to erase the evidence of illegal hacking, but we are suggesting that we live alongside computer programmers capable of getting around average means of digital file destruction. Simply dragging files and programmes to the recycling bin isn’t enough. If they find your discarded gadget and feel the need to go digging, they’ll be able to retrieve these documents and all of the information they once held. That includes financial account numbers, tax records, and contact information — all valuable data that can be used in identity theft.

The only way to permanently erase the information that is kept on your old computers, hard drives, and other digital accessories is through complete destruction. When the chips, CD-ROMS, and other data go through our mobile shredders’ teeth, there’s simple not enough of the original gadget to retrieve. We can guarantee destruction so your personal information is safe.

It doesn’t matter if you have a single gadget or a stockpile of obsolete devices. Regardless of how many phones, computers, and hard drives you need to discard, don’t throw them out with the trash. Not only will this negatively impact the environment, as our electronics contain metals and chemicals that have no business in our landfills, it can open you up to the risk of identity theft. Take a tip from Elliot, but don’t go through the difficulty of dismantling your device on your own. Make the smart choice by arranging an electronic data destruction appointment with our mobile shredders. It’s the only way to keep your digital information safe.