IRS Posted Social Security Numbers

[Guest Taxed]

IRS mistakenly posted thousands of Social Security number on website

Published July 08, 2013

The IRS mistakenly posted the Social Security numbers of tens of thousands of Americans on a government website, the agency confirmed Monday night. One estimate put the figure as high as 100,000 names.

The numbers were posted to an IRS database for tax-exempt political groups known as 527s and first discovered by the group Public.Resource.org.

The California-based group said it learned of the mistaken postings Tuesday while working on an unrelated audit of an “improperly vetted shipment” of IRS data on DVDs and promptly informed the agency, which shut down the site the next day.

An IRS spokesman told FoxNews.com on Monday the agency was alerted about a "substantial number" of Social Security numbers posted on the site and removed web access to the information "out of an abundance of caution." The spokesman also said the IRS is now "assessing the situation and exploring available options."

A message on the agency’s 527 homepage asks visitors to check back Monday, but the site was still down Monday evening.

Public.Resource.org. founder Carl Malamud.told FoxNews.com on Monday night that roughly 100,000 Social Security numbers were exposed.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/07/08/group-irs-mistakenly-posted-thousands-social-security-number-on-website/print#ixzz2YV2hn0RE

[SaraEA]

When will it end? At least weekly the IRS is being publically exposed for some boondoggle or another. How many of us had to prod, cajole, and reassure clients that efile was safer than mail? How many times a tax season do we give the speech to wary clients that what goes to the IRS stays with the IRS, that no other agency in the federal gov't protects their privacy so securely. Well, now we look like fools.

On a larger level, I am horrified at how one of the best-run agencies in the entire federal bureacuracy, with the best-trained employees, suddenly fell into such disrepute--targeting people for audits for political reasons (allegedly, with several officials pleading the Fifth), taking expensive junkets, and now releasing taxpayers' sensitive data. I know a lot of IRS agents, and find all of them to be dedicated, learned employees who are committed to upholding the tax code and respecting the taxpayers who pay them. Back when the Nixon administration imposed price controls, they borrowed heavily from the IRS labor pool because they were capable and well-trained in learning and upholding the law. I often defend the agency to my clients, explaining that it is not responsible for the mess of the tax code, it can only do what Congress tells it to do, etc. And now this.

I think the fault has two levels. One is the practice of Congress to write social policies into the tax code. The IRS isn't just about collecting federal revenues anymore, but administering the nation's largest antipoverty program (EITC), stimulating housing, getting polluting cars off the road, encouraging business investment, helping people go to college, jointly administering labor and pension law, being burdened with a big chunk of Obamacare, etc. etc. These are political actions more than revenue-collection ones, and I guess the agency eventually had to succomb to politics in its operations. Second, Congress has greatly reduced the agency's budget while expanding its responsibilities. The Taxpayer Advocate herself recently detailed how reduced training funds have greatly impacted the effectiveness of her office.

It is time to let the IRS return to its original purpose of collecting revenues, not administering social policies. Their staff should focus on Title 26, nothing else. They've been really good at it in the past and I believe can be so again, There are lots of federal agencies that focus on the poor, education, housing, health care, etc., so let these others do that work. Then the IRS can rebuild its former image as a respected (albeit hated) agency that does what it does well.

[kcjenkins]

Yes, Sara, that is what needs to be done. I can't help thinking that most of the 'rot' started when an admitted tax cheat was placed in charge of the agency. It's hard not to believe that the truly dedicated IRS employees, at all levels, found that embarassing and disheartening. And then you add on all the new non-tax responsibilities you mention, and it's a recipe for disaster.

[Guest Taxed]

Not only IRS but any Govt. entity that has our personal information MUST review the data being release to the public doman to make sure there is no breach. And if there is a breach they MUST pay for identity theft monitoring etc. Few years back the state of CT lost a laptop that had SS# and other taxpayer confidential data. The state paid for identity theft monitoring for a full year and then extended it another year at a reduced price from the vendor Debix.

[Catherine]

Not only IRS but any Govt. entity that has our personal information MUST review the data being release to the public doman to make sure there is no breach. And if there is a breach they MUST pay for identity theft monitoring etc. Few years back the state of CT lost a laptop that had SS# and other taxpayer confidential data. The state paid for identity theft monitoring for a full year and then extended it another year at a reduced price from the vendor Debix.

I was one of those people affected and to this day have NO idea why CT had my info in the first place!

[OldJack]

Its time to abolish the IRS and replace with something new!

[Guest Taxed]

New like what? Is it the law that is the problem or the people or a combination?

[Jack from Ohio]

Its time to abolish the IRS and replace with something new!

Congress will NEVER relinquish the power to tax. It will NOT happen in the next 40 years. The American voters will send 90% back to Washington in 2014, and the cycle continues.

[Guest Taxed]

Remember from your high school history classes. Govt. has the unlimited power to tax!

If you want to keep taxes low, informed citizens have to challenge every dime of Govt. waste. It is taxpayer's money!

I am still upset with our Govt. wasting $34M on a office building in Afganastan that will be torn down because it is too expensive to maintain? Did they think of using a few double wide trailers for a temporary project like most Americans do here??

[TaxMan60601]

http://www.irs.gov/Government-Entities/Indian-Tribal-Governments/Taxpayer-Identification-Number-(TIN)-On-Line-Matching -

Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) On-Line Matching

TIN Matching is part of a suite of Internet based pre-filing e-services that allows “authorized payers” the opportunity to match 1099 payee information against IRS records prior to filing information returns.

An authorized payer is one who has filed forms 1099-B ...

And no prejudices, but if anyone have an idea why it was announced through the FSLG directory and when you hit the link you can see that the article was posted within the ITG directory!? .....