RadioShack Admits To Dumping Customer Records

[OhioChick]

The Texas attorney general filed two charges against RadioShack and is investigating whether the thousands of records dumped in a garbage bin have been used for identity theft.

April 3, 2007 12:11 PM

The Texas attorney general has charged RadioShack with violating identity protection laws by dumping thousands of customer records in a garbage bin behind a Texas store.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott hit the retailer Monday with two charges. One of the charges carries a penalty of up to $50,000 for each violation and one has a penalty of up to $500 for each abandoned record. Abbott contends RadioShack's actions exposed its customers to identity theft since the records contained names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and credit card information.

The Attorney General's Office is investigating whether the tossed information has been used in identity theft crimes.

Steve Schmidt, an area VP for RadioShack, called the breach an isolated incident. The consumer electronics chain operates around 4,500 stores.

http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=198702184

[greyl]

1. Wtf? All those fake phone numbers I gave them when I bought batteries

down the tubes.

[Eric J in MN]

2. self-delete NT

NT

[OhioChick]

3. I Wondered That Myself. n/t

[Eric J in MN]

4. I realized that some people buy things on credit...

...at Radio Shack, and they would have to supply more info than the average customer.