The Home Office has launched an “urgent investigation” after two brothers found thousands of scraps of passports, chequebooks and prescription pads in a punchbag [Note: in the U.S., punching bag]. Simon and Richard Coe discovered personal data, including signatures and photos, torn up into thousands of small pieces. Much of the personal information contained in…
Category: Government Sector
ID theft ring targeted Dobbins servicemen
DeKalb County Police have arrested two women and secured warrants for three others who took part in an organized identity theft ring that stole more than $50,000 from members of the U.S. Air Force. Detectives believe that in 2007 the group gained access to the secured member roster of the 80th Aerial Port Squadron based…
CO: Personal data sent in error to co-workers
The Department of Corrections’ inspector general’s office is investigating the release of the personal financial records of more than 1,000 staff to more than 100 co-workers. The records were sent by e-mail from the DOC payroll office to a total of 103 employees at 5:03 p.m. Friday, said Katherine Sanguinetti, DOC spokeswoman. A payroll employee…
Army National Guard laptop stolen
Members of the Army National Guard who could be affected by the theft of a laptop containing their personal data, will be notified through an official letter, National Guard officials said today. “I immediately requested a list of any Wisconsin soldiers that may be affected,” said Brig. Gen. Don Dunbar, Adjutant General of Wisconsin and…
NH inmate had corrections officers’ data
The Associated Press reports that a New Hampshire State Prison inmate was found in possession of a list containing details — including social security numbers — of Corrections Department workers. Officials believe that the inmate might have obtained the list when he worked at a warehouse, where a copy of the list was waiting to…
Employees sacked for ID card data breach
The database in question holds data on 92 million people in the U.K. About 200,000 people have access to it. If they cannot adequately secure the database from misuse by employees, well……. Nine local authority workers have been sacked after illegally accessing personal details of the public held on the government’s national identity database. In…