Files Containing Personal Information Found in Florida Trash Bins

TAMPA, Fla. – Hundreds of files containing addresses, Social security numbers and other personal information have been found in a shuttered mortgage company's trash bins.

A salon owner tipped off police after finding a batch of the records in her own garbage. The documents were traced to Creative Financial Services, a mortgage company which had gone of business.

Creative's office was empty, and its own trash bins were found overflowing with sensitive documents. The former company owner said he paid a contractor to shred the documents after he was evicted, but the work was apparently never done.

Police said the documents presented strong risk of identity theft and should've been destroyed.