Ghouls, ghosts and goblins. These ghastly Halloween creatures are creeping in the air, waiting to give you a fright. But there’s another type of scare lurking in your home, and you may not be aware of the harm it could cause.

Printers. They sit, unsuspecting, in our homes printing and scanning documents. You may think these documents only live digitally on your computer and physically on the paper in front of you. But that is not the case; printer memory is separate from computer memory.

Digital multifunction printers have been around for the past decade. They contain built-in memory, known as RAM, to store documents semipermanently. That means the birth certificates you copied, the tax forms you printed or the family photos you scanned may still be lingering and living on your home printer.

The problem arises when you’re ready to get rid of or sell this device. Most people know when it comes time to tossing old devices, it’s important to wipe computers, tablets and cellphones clean. However, printer hard drives are often forgotten. Since they may also contain sensitive information, it’s important to take necessary precautions there as well.

First, check for any external storage like SD card readers to make sure they are empty. These slots are usually located on the front or side of the device. Next, you’ll need to clear the printer’s temporary storage. Usually this can be done by unplugging the power cord from the printer for 60 seconds or more. Long-term memory is erased after more jobs are completed. A typical printer may store 15-20 jobs, so this may mean printing unimportant documents to purge the sensitive ones. Last, check the manual for steps to perform a factory reset.

But the ghosts don’t stop there.

Printers are an office staple. They often do more jobs than one, completing tasks like copies, scans and faxes. Commercial printers have a far larger memory capacity, storing thousands of documents on one machine. But think of the information that goes through one office copier: sensitive human resources documents, payroll statements, client information.

Keeping personally identifiable information secure is every business’s responsibility. Commercial printers are often re-leased or resold so it’s important to wipe the machine clean of sensitive information. This is especially crucial for regulated industries that must comply with regulations like HIPAA or FACTA.

Clearing the RAM on larger printers is a bit more complicated. The hard drive itself needs to be removed and either digitally rewritten or physically destroyed. Remember to clear any captured data such as emails or network information.

Better Business Bureau is celebrating Cybersecurity Awareness Month during October by providing tips on how to lock up your digital life.

For more information on businesses in the area, check out the BBB’s website at www.bbb.org. If you see a scam or know someone that has been scammed, submit a report to www.bbb.org/scamtracker.