Goodwill Investigates Sale of Personal Documents

Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana is reviewing how it sorts and handles donated items after an Indianapolis television station discovered that medical records, tax returns and other documents containing personal information were being sold at some of its stores.

WTHR-TV found documents that included Social Security numbers in bins of items being sold at the charity’s giant outlet stores.

Indianapolis police Sgt. Eric Eads says the documents are a nightmare for police and expose people to identity theft.

Several families whose personal information wound up at the outlet stores say the items were donated by mistake.

Goodwill officials say the charity has hired an outside law firm to review the matter and help it develop better policies for disposing of such items.