What’s Happening:
The Internal Revenue Service is a federal agency responsible for the handling of every American’s financial records. Unlike other agencies, the IRS has knowledge of your bank accounts, yearly income, Social Security Number, and daily expenditures. The IRS uses this information to gather tax revenue and issue refunds when necessary.
This level of sensitive information demands the highest security measures. Americans expect IRS officials to exercise maximum digression when handling their accounts. But a letter from top congressional leaders is alerting Americans to a serious break of security. And the consequences of this breach could affect millions of taxpayers.
From Just the News:
The Internal Revenue Service lost millions of taxpayer records and federal employees don’t know where they have gone.
Lawmakers want answers and accountability for the IRS over those documents, which could be used by nefarious actors to steal Americans’ identity…
“The IRS’s lackadaisical attitude towards the loss of millions of taxpayer records containing Social Security numbers, addresses, and other sensitive tax return information is appalling,” the letter said. “The American people deserve better.”
Top Republican leaders in Congress have confronted the IRS over the news of a critically troubling situation. According to reports, the IRS has lost records for millions of American taxpayers. Federal employees cannot account for these records, meaning they could have ended up in anyone’s hands.
Lawmakers are demanding answers from the IRS. Sen. Grassley accused the agency of having a “lackadaisical attitude” towards the sensitive information of many Americans. The records lost could include SSNs, addresses, phone numbers, and more. Any portion of this information could be used by criminals to steal Americans’ identities.
Identity thieves only need a few pieces of information to break into a person’s accounts. Most of the time, it would only require gaining their Social Security Number. Criminals can gain access to a person’s email addresses, bank accounts, and other sensitive online accounts. They can empty checking accounts, open up credit cards, and deplete someone of money in a matter of minutes.
For the IRS to have lost so much data is appalling. A recent Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration report accused the IRS of neglecting federal recordkeeping rules. This scandal could lead to congressional hearings, investigations, and perhaps even prosecution.
Key Takeaways:
- The IRS has been accused of losing records of millions of taxpayers.
- A report accused the agency of neglecting to follow federal recordkeeping rules.
- Republican lawmakers demanded answers from the IRS, warning that Americans are at risk.
Source: Just the News
