Printer Paper Tray Locks – A Case for Securing Your Printers
Printer ownership can be overlooked. The security of the paper trays in the printer is one of the most important aspects. Many organizations and businesses simply fill the paper trays with paper, and then forget about them until the printer runs low on paper.
The thing they might not think about is how often printer paper is emptied – maybe it isn’t going through the print head but being removed from the paper trays instead by unauthorized persons. It takes just seconds for someone to go up to a printer, copier, and take media from the unlocked paper tray. Other than the obvious financial losses from paper theft, fraud can also be an issue due to theft of official forms that are used in printers.
Some businesses or organizations seem more vulnerable to theft from paper trays. I will address each one individually.
Higher education is the first topic we’ll be examining. Many printers are available on campuses of institutions of higher education for faculty and students. These printers often have expensive card scanners or electronic controls that keep track of printing costs so that charges can be made to those who use them.
The simple theft of paper from printers is what these electronic controls fail to address. These costs can be very high, even for simple bond paper. If you add in expensive card stock or specialty papers to the mix, your losses could go through the roof. A campus with 100 printers will lose 10 reams per week if they each lose 50 sheets per day to theft.
The healthcare market, which includes hospitals and clinics as well as teaching universities and local medical offices, is the second area of concern. Since 2008, Medicaid requires that these organizations use tamper resistant prescription paper. This type of paper is not only expensive but also attracts fraudsters looking to use it to create fake scripts. Healthcare providers must keep these types tamper-resistant papers secure. However, anyone with just a few seconds can open a paper tray and steal them.
We will also be examining the financial market as a third area. The theft of blank checks should concern banks, stockbrokers, financial advisors and anyone who prints checks with MICR checks. Checks are typically loaded into the printer tray after they are printed. Then, the checks are removed from the printer tray and placed in a safe drawer or file cabinet until the next printing. You can store check stock in your printer by installing paper tray locks. This will save you the time and hassle of loading check stock each day.
There are many paper tray lock manufacturers on the market. It is essential to choose a company that offers both high-quality products and technical support. Many locks are simple to install and provide a secure solution that meets your specific requirements.
Gary Lucas, Source
