Personal ID Compromised, Feb. 25

The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services has issued a final order against 122nd Group LLC, a Portland commercial landlord, for improperly disposing of mortgage records containing personal identifying information. The investigation by the department’s Division of Finance and Corporate Securities, found that 122nd Group took possession of 30 boxes of mortgage records after evicting tenant Agape Home Mortgage. The landlord did not allow Agape Home Mortgage to retrieve the boxed mortgage records and hired a cleaning company to clean out the property. The cleaning company placed the mortgage records into an unlocked dumpster located in the 122nd Group’s parking lot. Subsequently, Agape’s general manager recovered six boxes of records from the dumpster. The files in the boxes contained identifying information, including Social Security numbers. The other 24 boxes were never recovered. “Businesses have a responsibility to reasonably safeguard the personal information with which they are entrusted,” said David Tatman, the division’s administrator. “Placing files containing such information into a publicly accessible dumpster clearly does not fulfill that responsibility.” As part of the final order, and subject to further appeal, the agency has assessed a $5,000 civil penalty against 122nd Group. For more information about the Oregon Consumer Identity Theft Protection Act, go to the division website at http://www.cbs.state.or.us/external/dfcs/id_theft.html.