Highly Sensitive Information Found in "509 Fitness" Dumpster

By in

Membership files with credit card, social security and driver’s license information from the 509 Fitness in Kennewick were thrown into a dumpster in the same lot.

KAPP/KVEW received an email from a concerned viewer about the files, and the troubleshooter investigated.

LifeQuest Fitness Center in Pasco owns the now vacant building, and this last Saturday employees from LifeQuest threw out the remaining items from the gym.

Ana Salas, Richland, was at a therapy clinic on Saturday when the clean up was taking place, and noticed a couple of suspicious people digging through what was placed in the dumpster.

“My son’s therapist pointed over to the dumpster,” Salas said. “I just had to go see what was in there.”

Salas found dozens of membership folders with highly secure information inside, and started worrying that her information could have been exposed.

“I kept thinking about my information and I’m sure it ended up in the dumpster, too, at some point, and I just couldn’t stop thinking about it.”

KAPP/KVEW investigated who may have thrown out the materials, and was able to get a hold of the general manager of LifeQuest.

Sonnia King said she had no idea that her employees had thrown that information into the dumpster without first shredding it.

King then drove from LifeQuest to 509 Fitness and removed all of the sensitive information from the dumpster.

King said LifeQuest always puts members’ information into the computer first so that information cannot travel on paper.