By: Associated Press – August 17, 2014 — WASHINGTON — The IRS failed to do background checks on some private contractors who handled confidential taxpayer information, exposing more than a million taxpayers to an increased risk of fraud and identity theft, a government investigator said. In one case, the IRS gave a printing contractor a computer disk with names, addresses and Social Security numbers of 1.4 million taxpayers, but didn’t require a background check for anyone who worked on the job, said a report by the Treasury inspector general for tax administration.
In another case, to transport sensitive documents the IRS used a courier who previously had spent 21 years in prison on arson and other charges. In other cases, contractors underwent background checks but weren’t required to sign agreements not to disclose sensitive information, the report said.
POE urges each of our clients to avoid this potentially explosive error. Insist that your Contractors certify that their employees have been vetted and screened, before allowing them access to you, your residents, occupants, employees, property and confidential, sensitive and privileged information.
Each of our clients’ Contractors takes seriously its responsibility to perform its services for you. The Contractors must also protect itself and its clients, by performing background checks on its employees, before giving them access to you. Each of our clients should be committed to ensuring that all Contractor employees undergo thorough background checks. Insist that your vendors provide certification that its employees have undergone proper screening and vetting.
If your vendors have questions, or need that screening performed, please have them contact Damian at POE and we will assist them, immediately.