Nearly 200 Students Warned of ID Theft Risk After Tax Form Mishap By School District

[Erica Absetz <eabsetz () opensecurityfoundation org>]

http://www.theledger.com/article/20130220/NEWS/130229907/1134?Title=Nearly-200-Students-Warned-of-ID-Theft-Risk-After-Tax-Form-Mishap-By-School-District

LAKELAND | The Social Security numbers of nearly 200 students who paid
tuition for education programs could be compromised, according to a
letter sent out recently by the Polk County School District.

Students affected can contact the School District, which will pay for
a one-year membership to an online identity theft protection program
that will cost the district between $80 and $90 per student.

Pennie Zuercher, director of financial reporting for the district,
said that between 150 and 200 1098T tax forms out of 2,000 were sent
to incorrect addresses. The form includes the Social Security number
of the student.

The problem occurred when a batch of 1098T forms, which are printed
three per page, were folded and placed in envelopes by one of several
clerks, rather than separated, Zuercher said.

"Whoever was on top was who it got mailed to," she said. "The problem
is fairly small. But we don't have an exact number (of students)."

The incorrectly mailed tax forms were sent several weeks ago and the
School District sent out a follow-up letter alerting students to the
problem, along with a new tax form.

"If this is the first time you are receiving a copy of your 1098T,
then it is possible your original 1098T was mailed to an incorrect
address, and your Social Security number may have been compromised,"
Zuercher wrote in her letter. "We recommend you place fraud alerts on
your credit files as a precautionary step."

Zuercher said the district has received 14 requests for the identity
theft membership and five have signed up.

Zuercher said changes to how the tax forms will be mailed have already
been implemented.
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