[Dataloss] Dumpster Diving in KY

[Henry Brown]

 From LegalNewsline.com
http://tinyurl.com/227coq

FRANKFORT, Ky. - Kentucky Attorney General Greg Stumbo recently went 
through the trash of some businesses around the state and did not like 
what he found.

Stumbo said Tuesday that 33 of the 121 businesses that had their garbage 
inspected threw away personal information of more than 1,250 people, 
violating state laws that require such information to be shredded or 
destroyed in another method.

"Consumers face an increased risk of identity theft or loss of privacy 
when their personal information is not destroyed when records are 
discarded," Stumbo said. "There have been numerous accounts in the past 
few years of dumpster-diving by identity thieves. It is vitally 
important that businesses take care to destroy consumers' personal 
information when disposing of records."

Of the 33, 14 threw away the sensitive information -- like Social 
Security numbers, bank and credit card account numbers, birth dates, 
driver's license or personal ID card numbers, loan numbers, customer 
account numbers, insurance policy numbers, medical insurance policy and 
group numbers and personal medical information -- of almost 1,000 people.

The 33 businesses have been notified by the Office of Consumer 
Protection, which is requesting extra information from the 14 that threw 
out sensitive information. Stumbo says he will ask the businesses to 
develop or strengthen policies to ensure compliance with state law.

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