Who Breached: First Magnus Financial Corporation (defunct)
Number Affected: unknown
Information breached: Social Security Numbers
How: data left in dumpster

It is rather hard to believe that, with data breach concerns on the rise, vast quantities of personal information can just be thrown out, un-shredded. Such was the case outside the University of Phoenix Building in Ft. Lauderdale and the defunct First Magnus Financial Corp.

The industrial-sized dumpster outside of 550 West Cypress Creek Road was found to contain a number boxes containing personal information as was held on file with First Magnus Financial, now out of business for bankruptcy. Personal information found includes: Social Security numbers, credit card information, addresses, and more. Police are now investigating the issue.

On February 15, the CBS4 News cameras arrived to the scene of the investigation and, shortly after, the boxes were taken inside the building by employees. The disposal of the boxes of information was left to the building manager, someone not associated with First Magnus - or with the proper disposal of personal information:

“We were told that we just could get rid of this stuff no matter how, that this was going to end up in the landfill, it’s going to be drenched down here inside the container, and no one’s going to have access to it.”

The building management has contacted First Magnus to dispose of the documents properly. Given that the business is now defunct (and apparently after much public criticism for unpaid workers), it is not clear if a breach notification has been, or will be, sent. Despite any laws to that effect.

Head on over here to see a video of the story.

Via attrition, cbs4, Photo Credit: CBS Tags: first magnus, dumpster, personal information, breach, documents, defunct, out of business, data breach notification, shredding