Politics

Thieves Used IRS Website To Steal Info From 100,000 Households

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Rachel Stoltzfoos Staff Reporter
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Identity thieves used the IRS website to steal tax return information from about 100,000 households, the agency said Tuesday, and made at least another 100,000 failed attempts.

The thieves penetrated the IRS “Get Transcripts” program by using stolen data, such as Social Security numbers, to view taxpayer’s prior-year tax return information. They used that stolen information to apply for fraudulent refunds, reported The Wall Street Journal.

The IRS has temporarily shut down the program and said it would notify the 200,000 households that were definitely exposed to the theft. And it will provide free credit monitoring services for the 100,000 households whose information was successfully stolen. (RELATED: IRS Accidentally Blew $5 Billion On Bogus Tax Credits)

“The online Get Transcript service is currently unavailable,” a message on the IRS site reads. “Transcripts may still be ordered using the Get Transcript by Mail service. We apologize for any inconvenience.”

The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the IRS’s Criminal Investigation unit are reviewing the breach. (RELATED: The IRS Is Still Kicking Despite Hysterics Over Budget Cuts)

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