Updated November 2026 · Southern New Hampshire
Identity theft prevention for New Hampshire households: a 2026 plan
Identity theft prevention works best as a short list of locks you set once and a few habits you keep. This plan covers credit freezes, your tax identity, the mailbox, the paper in your house and your online accounts, in the order we would do them.
99¢ per pound at our Tewksbury drop-off. A year of household paper usually fits in one or two boxes.
- $0 to freeze your credit
- 99¢ per pound
- Since 2007
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Quick answer
Identity theft prevention in 2026 comes down to five steps. Freeze your credit at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, which the FTC says costs nothing, does not affect your credit score and lasts until you lift it. Get an IRS Identity Protection PIN, take your mail in promptly, shred paper with personal information before it leaves the house, and turn on multi-factor authentication for email and bank accounts. Check your credit reports, free every week at AnnualCreditReport.com. For the paper step, New Hampshire Document Shredding takes walk-ins in Tewksbury at 99 cents a pound plus $34.90 per job.
Identity theft prevention: the 2026 plan at a glance
Most advice about identity theft is a long list of worries. A plan is shorter. Each layer below closes one door a thief uses, and most of them take one sitting to set up and almost nothing to keep.
We shred paper for a living, so you might expect us to say shredding is the whole answer. It is not. The paper layer matters, and we cover it below, but a credit freeze does more to stop new accounts in your name than any shredder ever will. Do the free steps first.
| Layer | Action | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit | Place a freeze at each bureau | Equifax, Experian, TransUnion | Free to place and lift (FTC) |
| Credit | Check your credit reports | AnnualCreditReport.com, weekly | Free (FTC) |
| Tax | Get an Identity Protection PIN | IRS online account or IRS app | No charge listed by the IRS |
| Opt out of prescreened credit offers | optoutprescreen.com or 1-888-567-8688 | No charge listed by the FTC | |
| Paper | Shred statements, bills, old tax files | Home shredder, a shred day, or our counter | 99¢ per pound plus $34.90 per job with us |
| Online | Turn on multi-factor authentication | Email, bank, retirement, phone carrier | Free |
Freeze your credit: the strongest identity theft prevention step
A credit freeze stops lenders from pulling your credit report, so a thief who has your name and Social Security number cannot open a new card or loan with it. The FTC says that while a freeze is in place, nobody can open a new credit account. It says there is no cost to place or lift one, and that it lasts until you lift it.
You have to contact all three nationwide bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, because a freeze at one does not carry over to the others. When you apply for a mortgage or a car loan, you can lift the freeze temporarily and put it back afterward. The FTC suggests asking which bureau the lender will check and lifting only that one. A freeze does not affect your credit score.
Children are a common target because nobody checks their credit for years. The FTC says you can request a free freeze for a child under 16, and that it stays in place until you ask the bureaus to remove it. Each bureau has its own process for children, so follow their instructions.
Fraud alerts are a different tool. The FTC describes an initial alert that lasts one year and an extended alert that lasts seven years, which requires an identity theft report. Those belong to recovery more than prevention. If you already have a problem, our post on what to do after identity theft walks you through it.
A freeze does not stop someone from using a card you already have. That is why you also read your statements and your credit reports. The FTC says all three bureaus have permanently extended the program that lets you check your report from each one every week for free at AnnualCreditReport.com. Once a month is plenty for most households.
Lock your tax identity with an IRS IP PIN
Tax identity theft works differently. Someone files a return with your Social Security number before you do and collects a refund. You find out when your own return is rejected, months of paperwork later.
The IRS Identity Protection PIN closes that door. The IRS describes it as a six-digit number that prevents someone else from filing a tax return using your Social Security number or ITIN, known only to you and the IRS. Anyone with an SSN or ITIN who can verify their identity can get one, and parents and guardians can request one for dependents.
A new IP PIN is generated for your account every year. The fastest route, according to the IRS, is your online account or the IRS app, after you verify your identity on IRS.gov. Put a reminder in January to collect the new number before you or your preparer files.
Old tax returns sitting in a basement are part of the same risk, since they carry everything a fraudster needs. Our post on how long to keep tax records tells you which years can safely go.
The plan in four numbers
Each of these comes from the FTC or the IRS. They are the figures to remember when you set the plan up.
- Freeze at all three bureaus, not just one
- Freeze your children’s credit too
- Collect a new IP PIN each January
- Read one bureau’s report each month and rotate
Protect your mail, especially in a rural mailbox
A lot of New Hampshire mail still lands in a box at the end of a long driveway, out of sight of the house. That box holds bank statements, new cards, checks and tax forms for hours at a time. It is one of the easiest places in the state to steal an identity.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s advice is simple. Try not to leave letters and packages in your mailbox or at your door for any length of time. If you cannot be home, use the USPS Hold Mail service. If a check or card you expect does not arrive, contact the sender right away, and report suspected mail theft to the Postal Inspectors.
Take it in daily
Empty the box the same day it is delivered. If you work long hours, ask a neighbor, or rent a post office box for anything financial.
Hold it when away
A week at the lake or a month in Florida means a full mailbox. Hold Mail keeps it at the post office until you are back.
Cut the offers
Prescreened credit offers are ready-made applications. Opt out at optoutprescreen.com or 1-888-567-8688, for five years or permanently.
The FTC says the five-year opt-out works by phone or online, and the permanent one needs a signed form you get online. You will be asked for your Social Security number and date of birth, which is expected for this service. Our post on what junk mail to shred covers the rest of the mail that comes through the slot.
When you move, file a change of address with USPS and update your banks, as the Postal Inspection Service advises. Mail that keeps arriving at an old address is mail you no longer control.
Shred the paper that carries your identity
The FTC tells consumers to shred financial records and other papers with personal information before throwing them away. That sounds obvious, yet the recycling bin at the curb is still where a lot of statements end up whole. Anyone walking past on collection day can lift the lid.
Our counter rule is short. If a page has your name and any number that belongs to you, such as an account, a policy, a Social Security number or a date of birth, shred it. If it is a flyer, a catalog or a blank form, recycle it.
Our post on identity theft from trash explains what people actually look for, and our list of what documents to shred ranks household paper by risk.
Shred first
Anything with your Social Security number, old tax returns past their retention period, and pay stubs once checked.
Then money
Bank and card statements you have downloaded or no longer need, cancelled checks and closed account papers.
Then health
Medical bills, insurance explanations of benefits and pharmacy labels with your name and member number.
Then the rest
Prescreened offers, utility bills with account numbers, and anything with a signature on it.
A home shredder handles the weekly trickle. The backlog of old files is where most households need help, and that is the part of our residential shredding work NH families use most. Free community shred events run by towns, banks and credit unions are another good option if you can wait for one.
What the paper layer costs
For most households, one trip a year clears the backlog. At our Tewksbury counter you pay 99 cents a pound under 10 boxes, and a banker’s box of paper weighs about 30 pounds. Every job adds $34.90, which covers the Certificate of Destruction and recycling the shred.
The per-job fees are the same for one box or five, so bring everything in one trip. For a household, driving down nearly always beats a pickup. Our drop-off shredding takes walk-ins Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Route 38 near I-495, and the paper is shredded at our office the same business day.
Online accounts: the layer most people skip
Paper and mail are where we spend our days, but plenty of identity theft now starts with a stolen password. The FTC’s advice here is short. Use a strong password for each online account, and turn on multi-factor authentication wherever it is offered, because it makes it harder for scammers to log in even if they get your password.
Start with your email account. Whoever controls your email can reset almost every other password you have. Give it a long, unique password and turn on multi-factor authentication before anything else.
Then do the money accounts. Bank, credit card, retirement and brokerage logins come next, followed by your phone carrier account, since a thief who takes over your number can intercept text codes.
Guard your Social Security number. The FTC suggests asking why an organization needs it, how it will be protected, and whether another identifier will do. Legitimate organizations will not call, email or text you to ask for it.
Slow down on unexpected messages. A call or text that pushes you to act now, pay with a gift card or confirm an account number is the online version of a stolen statement. Hang up and call the number on your card.
A year of identity theft prevention habits
Once the locks are set, the plan runs on a calendar. Here is the version we suggest to customers who ask.
- January: collect your IP PIN. Get the new number from your IRS online account before you or your preparer files.
- Monthly: read one credit report. Rotate through Equifax, Experian and TransUnion at AnnualCreditReport.com, and read your bank and card statements as they arrive.
- Weekly: run the home shredder. Clear the small pile of statements, offers and bills before it becomes a box.
- Spring: clear the closed tax years. After you file, pull the years whose retention period has passed and box them.
- Once a year: one shred trip. Bring the year’s boxes to our counter, or catch a community shred day if one falls at the right time.
- Any time you travel or move: hold or forward the mail. Use Hold Mail for trips and file a change of address before a move.
If something does go wrong despite the plan, act quickly. Our post on what to do after identity theft covers the recovery steps, and our page on New Hampshire identity theft statistics shows what is being reported in the state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the single most effective identity theft prevention step?
For stopping new accounts in your name, a credit freeze at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. The FTC says that while a freeze is in place nobody can open a new credit account, and it costs nothing to place or lift. Pair it with an IRS IP PIN to protect your tax refund.
Does a credit freeze hurt my credit score?
No. The FTC says a freeze does not affect your credit score and costs nothing to place or lift. When you apply for a loan, you can lift it temporarily and put it back when you are done. The FTC suggests finding out which bureau the lender will check and lifting the freeze only there.
Can I freeze my child’s credit?
Yes. The FTC says you can request a free freeze for a child under 16, and it stays in place until you ask the bureaus to remove it. Each bureau, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, has its own process for children, so follow their instructions.
How often can I check my credit report for free?
Every week. The FTC says the three nationwide bureaus have permanently extended the program that lets you check your report from each one weekly for free at AnnualCreditReport.com. Rotating one bureau a month is enough for most households, and it costs nothing.
Who can get an IRS Identity Protection PIN?
The IRS says anyone with a Social Security number or ITIN who can verify their identity. Parents and guardians can request one for dependents. It is a six-digit number known only to you and the IRS, and a new one is generated each year.
What paper should I shred to prevent identity theft?
Anything with your name and a number that belongs to you: Social Security number, account, policy or member number, or date of birth. That covers old tax returns, bank and card statements, pay stubs, medical bills and prescreened credit offers. Flyers and catalogs can go in the recycling.
How much does it cost to shred a household’s old paper?
At our Tewksbury counter, 99 cents a pound under 10 boxes plus $34.90 per job. A banker’s box weighs about 30 pounds, so one box costs about $64.60 and three cost about $124.00. Bring everything in one trip, since the per-job fees apply once.
How do I stop prescreened credit card offers?
The FTC says to call 1-888-567-8688 or go to optoutprescreen.com. You can opt out for five years by phone or online, or permanently by also returning a signed form you get online. You will be asked for your Social Security number and date of birth.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission, What To Know About Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts (checked November 2026)
- Federal Trade Commission, Free Credit Reports (checked November 2026)
- Federal Trade Commission, What To Know About Identity Theft (checked November 2026)
- Federal Trade Commission, Prescreened Credit and Insurance Offers (checked November 2026)
- Internal Revenue Service, Get an Identity Protection PIN (checked November 2026)
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Mail Theft (checked November 2026)
Clear the paper layer in one trip
Set your freezes, collect your IP PIN, then box up the old statements and tax years and bring them to our Tewksbury counter. The paper is shredded the same business day and you leave with a Certificate of Destruction.
Where we shred
1215 Main Street, Unit 115, Tewksbury, MA 01876. Route 38, near I-495, about 15 minutes south of the New Hampshire line.
Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Witnessed sessions and pickups outside these hours by appointment.
- Drop-off: walk in, 99¢ per pound
- Pickup: from $129.95 by zone
- Witnessed: $1.99 per pound, $100 minimum
New Hampshire Document Shredding · 1215 Main Street, Unit 115, Tewksbury, MA 01876 · (978) 636-0301 · Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.