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Cyber Risks · Krebs on Security

States: Spike in Tax Fraud Against Doctors

Summary: Physicians in several U.S. states are reporting tax return fraud this year, with the New Hampshire Medical Society hearing from 111 doctors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners who received IRS notices that someone had already filed their taxes and claimed a large refund. The North Carolina Medical Society has been contacted by more than 100 doctors and practice managers, and societies in Arizona, Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina and Vermont report similar cases, prompting speculation that a breach at some national physician certifying or credentialing organization may be responsible.

Key Takeaway: The pattern is selective: New Hampshire's Scott Colby said he has yet to receive one victim name from a non-clinician, which points away from an HR or payroll compromise and toward a physician-specific data source. A 2013 Treasury Inspector General report cited here found the IRS issued nearly $4 billion in bogus refunds in 2012, and victims often find new bank accounts opened in their names as well.

Read the original at Krebs on Security ↗

Topics
Data Breaches
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