NEW YORK, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- Stacks of paperwork that included Social Security numbers from a New York City Blockbuster video store were left on a sidewalk.
The New York Daily News discovered hundreds of files containing video customers' Social Security and credit card numbers tossed on the busy Manhattan sidewalk.
The pile of trashed files contained recent membership applications that included customers' birth dates, addresses, phone numbers, driver's license numbers, signatures and credit card numbers. Many included a Social Security number, the News said.
"In the wrong hands, the information is very valuable to identity thieves, scammers, hackers and other bad guys," said Eric Gertler, author of "Prying Eyes" and chief executive officer of BlackBook Media.
Officials at Blockbuster's corporate headquarters said the company was investigating the incident.
"Our corporate policy is applications must be safely secure under lock and key and must be destroyed when no longer kept on file," spokesman Randy Hargrove said.
