A woman was recently arrested after stealing the identities of nearly 100 victims. The source of information used for the thefts:
A stack of job applications left in a dumpster by an employer.
Ashley Johnson racked up more than $60,000 in debt by opening credit cards in other people’s names. Police say she was rummaging through the dumpster behind a Millington, TN, restaurant when she found a collection of rejected employment applications, complete with names, addresses, SSNs and other info.
Her spending spree lasted five months before she was caught by police.
The lesson for HR departments that want to avoid this kind of embrassing situation: Once you’re ready to toss applications, dispose of them properly — for example, by shredding them.
