Class action alleges iTunes receipts reveal too much credit information

InformationWeek reports:

Apple, known for zealously guarding information about its products, is being sued for revealing too much information about its customers.

A class action lawsuit against the company was filed yesterday in a Florida federal court alleging violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) that put Apple customers at risk for identity theft.

Apple’s offense: printing credit card expiration dates on Apple Store online receipts.

This violates a 2003 amendment to the FCRA which states: “No person that accepts credit cards or debit cards for the transaction of business shall print more than the last five digits of the card number or the expiration date upon any receipt provided to the card holder at the point of sale or transaction.”

In addition, the copies of Apple electronic receipts included as exhibits in the complaint show — or would show were the information not redacted — the purchaser’s full name, full home address, full phone number and full e-mail address. The inclusion of this information, arguably, increases the risk of identity theft.