Baltimore officials have not learned how fraudsters obtained enough information on dozens of city employees to file fake tax returns in their names, and were working with federal and state authorities Friday to investigate any link between the victims.
But even in an age in which massive data breaches have become commonplace, cybersecurity experts said the blame might not rest on how well the city protects sensitive data. Given that it takes little more to file a tax return than a Social Security number and income information, thieves are increasingly assuming victims’ identities to steal their tax returns.
The IRS caught 1.4 million cases of identity theft last year in returns seeking $8.7 billion. Officials said they didn’t have precise figures on how often it occurs in Maryland, but nearly 600 people called the state attorney general’s office to report such crimes in the past year, a spokeswoman said.
“It’s on the rise and it’s hugely pervasive, not only here in Maryland but across the country,” said Alan Brody, a spokesman for Comptroller Peter Franchot. For the full article click here
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