Throwing away your identity: Agencies you trust could be putting you at risk

by Leanne Tokars (ltokars@wsbt.com)

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Idella Hughley was shocked to learn WSBT found a copy of her son's driver’s license, birth certificate and Social Security card in the trash

Idella Hughley was shocked to learn WSBT found a copy of her son's driver’s license, birth certificate and Social Security card in the trash outside a Work One office in South Bend. (WSBT photo)

By WSBT News1

Story Created: May 12, 2008 at 6:09 AM EST

Story Updated: May 14, 2008 at 10:21 PM EST

It's estimated that some 9 million Americans have their identity stolen each year, and it's happening here.

But even if you take the most necessary precautions to protect yourself, WSBT found it may not be enough.

“Oh my goodness, oh my goodness,” exclaimed Idella Hughley after WSBT showed her a copy of her high school son’s driver’s license, birth certificate and Social Security card.

We stopped at several government agencies and offices — local, state and federal — randomly taking one trash bag out of each dumpster over a two-day period.

It's called "dumpster diving" and it's a way people steal others' identity.

“It was always the most popular way to steal someone's identity,” said Sgt. Dominic Zultanski. “It's kind of gone out of vogue, but now it's coming back."

Zultanski is in charge of the fraud cases at the South Bend Police Department.

When we showed him what we uncovered, he said, “Everything here, I could probably open a credit card account with.”

As we showed him more, he said, “I’m holding in my hand a large volume of potential if not future victims."

Many dumpsters held bags of shredded paper, but at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles on Western Avenue in South Bend and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court downtown, WSBT uncovered personal information.

Inside bags at both locations, there were a couple forms with names, their addresses and Social Security numbers.

We found the same sitting in a trash bag outside the building of the FSSA’s Division of Family Services in South Bend.

The forms were ripped but not shredded, and it only took a couple minutes to put the pieces together.

One form gave us a person’s name, address, Social Security number, and his IQ. It also showed he has a mental disability and is dependent on others when it comes to handling money.

“I can just take this information and have this person give me their money,” exclaimed Zultanski. “I could probably find a way to talk them into it.”

But the largest amount of information came from dumpsters outside the Work One offices in Elkhart and South Bend.

Work One is a state-run agency that helps people get jobs.

Inside trash bags taken from their dumpsters, we found lists of names and their Social Security numbers. According to police, that’s enough to steal someone's identity.

At the Work One in South Bend, we also found photocopies of students' driver’s licenses, birth certificates and Social Security cards.

“And that was just in the trash?” exclaimed one mother in disbelief when we showed her daughter’s information.

But for Idella Hughley, she’s disappointed. She remembers taking her son to the Work One office as part of a program with his high school.

“He told me and Nelson, 'This is confidential information, you don't have to worry about it,' and here it is at my door — at my door,” exclaimed Hughley. “I'm hurt; I'm really hurt because this is something I hate to see a child's life destroyed."

What did the agencies have to say about what we found? We went to every single one and some were just as surprised as Hughley.

To see that part of the story, click on "Throwing away your identity: Agencies respond" in the Related Content box. Plus, why what we found now has the Indiana Attorney General's office getting involved.

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