IRS posted the Social Security numbers of tens of thousands of Americans.. ( Archived) (7)

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 "privacy breach" 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. The group did not detail whose Social Security numbers were posted, but a letter from the organization indicated they may have come from those who prepared tax returns to furnish to the IRS.

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.




OMG,disorganized Government!

I think they should concentrate on doing their job the best they can instead of learning to do line dancing.

my,I D got stolen,my state was gonna jail me/via call.from dept.of rev.i,said id like to report a crime lol,someone,sold my info.to illegals,now they want to be citizens,i wouldnt have minded,they didnt pay into soc.sec.did contract labor,pay taxes,at the end,of the year,thief killed himself,couldnt do 5yrs.in jail,case never cleared up!

you bet!