Recruitment agency Sarina Russo allegedly dumped confidential data of thousands of jobseekers

THOUSANDS of jobseekers’ confidential data, including bank details, phone numbers, home addresses, employment histories and education records, were found dumped by a government-contracted recruitment agency.

Confidential documents dumped in a skip behind Narre Warren agency. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

THOUSANDS of jobseekers’ confidential data, including bank details, phone numbers, home addresses, employment histories and education records, were found dumped by a government-contracted recruitment agency.

The key documents were allegedly dumped by recruitment company Sarina Russo in an unlocked skip bin and stacked nearby in boxes ­behind the agency’s recently closed Narre Warren store.

A contractor discovered the documents on Thursday night in a Department of Finance-owned skip, which had been left open for rubbish ­collection.

Several former Sarina Russo clients, whose personal information was left exposed, told the Herald Sun they were appalled and wanted an apology.

A spokesman for Employment Minister Michaelia Cash said the department had launched an investigation.

One woman, who stopped using Sarina Russo’s services less than 12 months ago, said she was disgusted the company had not informed her about the breach.

“It’s revolting ... it’s a breach of confidentiality ... a breach of trust, I’m sure it’s a breach of their privacy policy ... I really can’t believe it, you’re supposed to be able to trust these people,” she said.

“I just don’t understand why they would do that to ­already vulnerable people. I feel exposed ... I don’t even know what I should do now, I feel a bit scared to be honest.”

Sarina Russo confirmed there would be a full investigation Picture: Lawrence Pinder

A contractor said he found a garbage bag full of files inside the unlocked skip. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

But another woman said she wasn’t surprised.

“I stopped using their services in 2011 ... this is incredibly disappointing, but I’m not shocked. They were slack.”

The contractor said he ­discovered more than 20 boxes containing hundreds of alphabetised manila folders filled with what appeared to be people’s Sarina Russo “Job Seeker” profiles in an unlocked shared corridor leading to the skip.

He also found a garbage bag containing similar files and loose CVs on top of ­rubbish inside the unlocked skip, located in an outdoor communal carpark, accessible to the public.

The contractor said: “The most concerning thing was the door to the shared ­corridor we use to access the outdoor skip was wide open, completely unlocked, leaving these 20-plus boxes full of ­personal details to be rifled through by absolutely anyone. You could have your identity stolen.

“Just last week this skip was being wheeled away by a bunch of teenagers who had been trying to steal it and I was able to stop them just in time.

“You would think at the very least Sarina Russo would be obliged to use a shredder.”

The recruitment office, ­opposite Fountain Gate shopping centre, had recently been dismantled causing the finder to suspect the old documents had been dumped as part of the shutdown process.

Sarina Russo chief executive Kathleen Newcombe confirmed there would be a full investigation into the incident.

“Our national privacy manager is in the process of conducting a full review of the circumstances, specifically in relation to our recent office move,” Ms Newcombe said.

“Sarina Russo Job Access takes seriously the issue of privacy. We have fully documented policies and protocols as part of our standard operating procedures.”

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