Maryland comptroller blames printing malfunction for sensitive data sent to wrong addresses
BALTIMORE -- The Maryland Comptroller's office blamed a printing malfunction after tax forms with sensitive personal information on thousands of Marylanders were accidentally mailed to the wrong people.
WJZ Investigates saw several of the 1099-G tax forms the Maryland comptroller's office mistakenly sent. The address on the envelope was correct, but inside was another person's information.
Upset, demanding answers
Maryland resident Jessica Butrim, who received one of the forms and was trying to locate the person whose information was contained inside, told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren she is worried about who has her social security number and other data and what they may do with it.
"It had some other girl's name on it, her social security number and her address and I'm like, 'Wait a minute, this ain't mine,'" Butrim said. "I was quite shocked. It was her name—her first and her last name. Her address—you know city, state, zip code. Her social security number. Her full social security number. And I think it was her taxpayer TIN number and also her account number at the bottom."
Representatives for Comptroller Brooke Lierman told WJZ Investigates it was a "printing malfunction that led to a limited batch of roughly 6,000 1099-G forms going to incorrect addresses."
They wrote in a statement, "There was no external data breach; this was an internal issue."
The Maryland comptroller urged people to destroy the documents.
"I have tried to contact them four different times," Butrim said. "Three of the times that I called, I was able to speak to someone. They transferred me, but as soon as they transferred me, I got hung up on. And then, the fourth time that I called, it just rang and rang and rang and kept me on hold."
Port workers among those impacted
Some of those impacted are Port of Baltimore workers who got a 1099-G for relief payments after the Key Bridge collapse.
"I think it's kind of a lazy response. They just leaked everyone's personal information to all these people, and they could be out there for years to come," said Zach, a port worker. "They were telling me yesterday on the phone—asking if I could send it back, and I'm like, 'How is that my responsibility?'"
The comptroller's office told WJZ they will provide free credit monitoring and offered an apology.
"We will be altering our process in the future on printing jobs to ensure this type of incident does not ever happen again," the office wrote in a statement.
But for some of those impacted, it is too little, too late.
Butrim said it hurt her trust in state government.
"It definitely does, and now I'm wondering, 'What are my next steps? What do we need to do to protect ourselves now that our information is somewhere all over Baltimore?'" Butrim said.
Next steps
The Maryland Comptroller's office said they will be mailing out corrected forms.
They will also establish a dedicated email address, phone line and website for those affected.
Anyone impacted may email mailto:gad@marylandtaxes.gov for more information.
Here is the comptroller's full statement:
"The Office of the Comptroller has identified a printing malfunction that led to a limited batch of roughly 6,000 1099-G forms going to incorrect addresses. The printing error did not impact other tax forms produced by the agency. There was no external data breach; this was an internal issue. Individuals who mistakenly received another person's information should destroy the document immediately.
The correct 1099 will be mailed to affected individuals this week, and the correct information is also available to view through the General Accounting Division Online Service Center.
In the coming days, our agency will also provide additional instructions to affected individuals regarding credit monitoring services paid for by the Office of the Comptroller. Additionally, our agency will establish a dedicated email address, phone line, and website for impacted individuals. Affected taxpayers can also email gad@marylandtaxes.gov with the subject line "1099G Issue" with questions or concerns.
We sincerely apologize for not catching the error and for any distress this incident may cause the affected individuals. We will be altering our process in the future on printing jobs to ensure this type of incident does not ever happen again."
