Macy's Parade Confetti: Shredded Confidential Docs...

And not well-shredded
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 25, 2012 7:32 AM CST
Macy's Parade Confetti: Shredded Confidential Docs...
Spectators watch as balloons pass by Herald Square in the 86th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade,Thursday, Nov 22, 2012, in New York.   (AP Photo/ Louis Lanzano)

Oops: Observers at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade were surprised to discover that the confetti landing on their coats contained confidential information including social security numbers and banking info. One paradegoer tells WPIX his friend first noticed a Social Security number on one piece of confetti, then found more with "phone numbers, addresses, more social security numbers, license plate numbers," and police incident reports including arrest records and information about Mitt Romney's motorcade.

Turns out the confetti was made up of Nassau County Police Department documents that "were shredded, but clearly not well enough," WPIX notes. Some of the documents even identify undercover police officers by name, and give out information including dates of birth, social security numbers, and more. The police department says in a statement that it is "very concerned" and will be investigating the matter, and Macy's says it uses "commercially manufactured, multicolor confetti, not shredded paper" in the parade. (Click for more on how shredded documents can be reassembled.)

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