While most know it as a magical, fairy tale world of adventure, Disneyland employees are taking action over concerns that their Social Security numbers are being taken for a ride at the theme park.
Disneyland Resort employees in California filed a class-action lawsuit against the company yesterday (Feb. 22), claiming that the identification cards they are required to wear while working at the idyllic theme park contain a bar code electronically stamped with their Social Security number.
The Orange County Register reports that the badges Mickey, Goofy, Huey, Dewey and even Louie wear can be scanned by smartphone apps to reveal the information coded in them. The apps are available on iPhones and Android devices.
Disney employees have been complaining about the identity theft risks associated with the cards for two to three years, the Register reported.
Mari Frank, a Laguna Niguel, Calif.-based attorney, told the Register she believes Disney is on the wrong side of the law in this case.
“I’m pretty much shocked how they are doing this,” Frank said. “The Social Security number is key to the kingdom of identity theft.”
Mobile barcode scanning apps have come under fire recently. Earlier this month, security researchers found that the Starbucks iPhone app – which embeds a customer’s payment information in a picture of a barcode – can be hijacked in about 90 seconds.
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