SALISBURY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles has opened an internal review after a former employee brought forth allegations that he was mistakenly given several sheets of documents with the personal information of nearly a dozen customers from the Salisbury office.
The employee, who has asked that their name not be used, delivered their resignation letter to the Salisbury DMV Driver’s License Office on Main Street late last week, after more than a decade of service.
They told Queen City News that they were not given the option to clear out their own desk and that someone from the DMV would clear it out for them.
Monday afternoon that former employee alleges they went to the DMV site and were given two boxes which contained their desk items. Later that evening the former employee discovered that several sheets of documents had also been placed inside his boxes.
“It should be a big concern,” that employee told Queen City News.
The documents in question, included the driver’s license numbers for close to a dozen drivers, their social security information, and their home address.
One sheet of paper also included tax and income information for a family.
The former employee explained that the documents had been locked inside of his desk, and that it is common for such information to be kept for filing purposes.
However, they stressed that the information should never have been allowed outside of the building.
“I can easily take this and have everything,” the former employee said.
After that individual spoke with Queen City News, they contacted NCDOT authorities, and then returned the material to the DMV office.
While the information is back where it belongs, the former employee said it’s a massive problem that information ended up in boxes next to their coffee maker and desk fan.
“Social security, names, dates of birth, address and their tax information, where they work, how much money they made,” they said. “I could steal so many people’s identities if I wanted to do that.”
Queen City News went to the Salisbury DMV and asked to speak with the branch manager.
However, QCN was advised to contact the NCDMV.
When contacted with a series of questions regarding the safety of information, NCDMV provided the following statement:
“NCDMV takes very seriously its duty to protect personal information. This matter is being reviewed.”
