Yesterday, news broke that a Milwaukee Bucks employee released the W-2 information for the players of the Bucks to a phony e-mail address. This means that someone has access to the identity of multi-millionaires such as Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Having the basketball stolen from them is nothing new, but their identity is unexpected.
Scary, right?
Well, this is nothing new. Identity theft has been the hot button in the tax industry over the past 2 years. Last year, the IRS came out with a statement that their transcript website was hacked and there was the possibility that millions of taxpayers may have been affected. I personally was one of the taxpayers who received a letter notifying me of this. Last year, Katrina Cravy at Fox 6 featured my Dad in a story about ID theft.
Identity theft comes in many different forms. However, from the tax viewpoint there are two main forms. The IRS scam phone calls ( REMEMBER: THE IRS WILL NEVER CALL YOU) and the filing of tax returns under someone else’s social security number. Having access to someone’s social security opens up a lot of possibilities for a thief.
Getting back to the Bucks’ situation, this shows how easy it is for thieves to access important information. An organization such as the Bucks should have top notch security to avoid situations like this. As I mentioned before, it is scary to see it happen to such a large organization.
After hearing horror stories in the past, and stories like this, it is a good time to point out to our clients how we have taken steps to make sure this does not happen to them.
Nowadays, e-mails can easily be intercepted and hacked. That is why Hammernik & Associates has implemented a client portal system. All sensitive client information will be sent through this secure portal. This process ensures that situations like the Bucks’ will not happen at Hammernik & Associates.
However, this story is a reminder to make sure you always take steps to protect your identity. If you do believe your identity has been compromised, be sure to contact our office so that we can help you fill out an Identity Theft Affidavit.
Read the entire Bucks article here: Sources: Bucks players’ financial data compromised in scam
Until Next Time,
Nicholas Hammernik, EA
Milwaukee tax preparation and tax planning
The post Milwaukee Bucks Players’ Identity Stolen appeared first on Talking Tax to Milwaukee.
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