WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Countrywide Home Loans investigated personal data from its customers left unattended outside a West Sacramento post office Monday, company officials said.

"Information just sitting there. Anyone could walk up and open the envelopes," concerned citizen Dorian Dunlap said. "I don't understand why any lending institution would be that irresponsible."

Dunlap said she photographed stacks of envelopes from Countrywide Home Loans left unattended outside a west sacramento post office Monday and reported it to KCRA 3.

The U.S. Post Office spokesman Ralph Petty said the practice of customers leaving mail next to a full mail box is common, but not encouraged.

"We see this all the time and we caution businesses not to do this," Petty said.

"Countrywide deeply regrets this incident," Countrywide Home Loans spokesman Rick Simon said.

"We believe that fewer than 100 envelopes were involved, and we have no information that any are missing or compromised. These envelopes contained standard disclosure forms that are mailed to all mortgage applicants. None of these documents contain information as sensitive as social security numbers or bank account numbers," Simon said.

Customers who maybe impacted by the breach will be contacted to assure their documents were delivered intact, Simon said.