Consumer

8 documents you should shred at home before you throw them away

23 July 2026 · 9 min read · DeSnipperaar

Most of the post you throw away looks harmless, yet a surprising amount of paper carries exactly the details a fraudster needs. Your name, address, account number or citizen service number together on a single sheet is enough to take out subscriptions, open an account or make purchases in your name. These are the eight documents you shred at home before they reach the paper recycling, with the risk you head off in each case.

The quick answer. Look not at the type of paper but at what is printed on it. Anything combining your name, address, financial details, citizen service number or health data does not belong in the recycling unshredded. A strip-cut paper shredder is the minimum at home, a cross-cut is safer, and large piles you hand to a destruction service. That keeps identity fraud at bay.

Document 1. Bank statements

A bank statement carries your name, address, account number and often an overview of your spending. That combination is gold to a fraudster, because it can be used to set up subscriptions or direct debits in your name. A statement left unshredded in the recycling sits at the kerb, accessible to anyone for hours. It is best to request paper statements digitally, and the copies you still hold on paper you shred once they are past the tax retention period. How long you keep them is set out in shredding bank statements.

Document 2. Payslips and annual statements

A payslip or annual income statement holds your name, address, employer, salary and sometimes your citizen service number. For a fraudster that is a complete profile with which to impersonate you convincingly, for instance when applying for credit or a phone contract. Keep what you need for your tax return and benefits, and shred the rest once you no longer need it. Digital copies through the employer portal are safer than loose sheets that sit in a drawer for years.

Document 3. Letters carrying your BSN

Your citizen service number, the BSN, is the key to your identity with the government. Letters from the tax office, the council, DigiD, the benefits agency or your health insurer often quote that number in full. If such a letter falls into the wrong hands, someone can pose as you with public bodies or claim benefits in your name. Treat every letter carrying a BSN as sensitive. Read it, deal with what it is for, and shred it afterwards. Do not leave it lying on the kitchen table or let it disappear unshredded into the recycling.

Document 4. Medical post and prescriptions

Post from your GP, the hospital, the pharmacy or a specialist contains health data, and that is especially sensitive. An appointment letter, test result or prescription shows your name, date of birth, sometimes your BSN and information you have no need to share with anyone. Beyond the fraud risk it is simply privacy you want to protect. Prescriptions with a patient number or medicine name therefore should not go into the recycling still legible. Shred medical post as a matter of course, including old appointment cards and the labels on medicine packaging.

Document 5. Insurance papers

Policy schedules, claim forms and letters from your insurer carry your name, address, policy number and sometimes details about your health, home or belongings. A policy number together with your address is enough to impersonate you over the phone or to file a claim in your name. Keep the current policy you need, but old policy schedules and settled claim files you shred. That way you avoid outdated insurance details lying around for years when they are of no further use to you.

Document 6. Copies of your passport or ID

A copy of your passport or identity card is one of the most dangerous documents to throw away. It shows a photo, document number, date of birth and often your BSN, precisely the details with which someone opens an account or applies for a loan in your name. If you ever made a copy for a landlord, employer or online shop, keep it nowhere longer than needed. Shred every ID copy you come across while clearing out. How to do that carefully is set out in safely destroying passport or ID copies.

Document 7. Till receipts and credit card statements

A till receipt or credit card statement seems worthless, yet it often shows the last digits of your card, the date and the place of payment. A credit card statement also carries your name, address and a full spending overview. Together with a stolen card number that is enough for a fraudulent purchase or to dispute a payment in your name. Keep receipts only as long as you need them for a warranty or your records, and shred them afterwards. Your old bank card or credit card itself belongs with them too, see safely destroying bank and credit cards.

Document 8. Parcel labels and address stickers

The label on a parcel or the address sticker on a magazine gives away more than you think. It shows your full name and address, often with a track-and-trace code or customer number tied to your order. Fraudsters use those details to reroute parcels or to pose as you with an online shop using your name and address. Peel the label off every box and remove the address sticker from printed matter before you put the cardboard in the recycling. A small moment of work that prevents a leak of your address details.

How to shred it at home in 5 steps

1. Look at the details, not the paper. Name plus address, account number, BSN or health data means shred it.
2. Use at least a strip-cut shredder and preferably choose a cross-cut that cuts into small particles.
3. Remove labels and stickers from boxes and printed matter before the cardboard goes into the recycling.
4. Request post digitally where you can, so less sensitive paper comes through the door.
5. Hand large piles to a destruction service rather than throwing them away single-handedly.

Shred at home or have it destroyed

For everyday post a shredder at home is perfectly fine. A strip-cut machine is the minimum, but the long strips can be pieced back together with patience, so for truly sensitive papers you choose a cross-cut that cuts into small particles. The most practical way to handle this at home is set out in destroying confidential documents at home.

If a house move or clearing out a home leaves you with whole boxes of old paperwork, shredding it yourself is a hopeless task. Then you hand the paper to a destruction service, which takes it away sealed and gives you a certificate as proof. How to approach such a clear-out is set out in clearing out old paperwork and archive destruction for individuals.

Frequently asked questions

Which documents should I shred at home?

Anything with your name, address, account number, citizen service number or medical details on it. Think of bank statements, payslips, letters from the tax office, medical post, insurance papers, copies of your passport, till receipts and parcel labels. Together those details are enough for identity fraud.

Is a cheap paper shredder good enough?

For home use a strip-cut machine is the minimum, but the long strips can be reconstructed with patience. A cross-cut shredder cuts into small particles and is a good deal safer. For large volumes you hand the paper to a destruction service.

Why is a document in the paper recycling risky?

An open paper bin or container at the kerb is accessible to anyone. A fraudster who takes your statements or letters carrying your BSN has enough to impersonate you. Throwing documents away unshredded is therefore a real identity-fraud risk.

What do I do with large piles of old paperwork?

Small amounts you shred yourself at home. For boxes at a time a destruction service is more practical and safer. You hand it over sealed and receive a certificate as proof that everything was destroyed.

Conclusion

Identity fraud often begins with a simple sheet of paper someone fishes out of a paper bin. The eight documents in this list share a common thread. They tie your name and address to something valuable, whether that is an account number, a BSN or a piece of health data. Shred them at home with at least a strip-cut, preferably a cross-cut, and remove labels from boxes and printed matter. If you run into boxes full of old paperwork, have those destroyed confidentially with a certificate. That way you keep your details out of the hands of fraudsters.

Read also: 7 mistakes when destroying documents, which documents you can destroy after 7 years, destroying confidential documents at home and preventing identity fraud.

---

Have old paperwork collected? Request a quote via desnipperaar.nl. Within a few minutes you have a fixed price, including a certificate as proof.