Massive Hack Attack: IRS Reports More Than 300,000 Taxpayers Affected

A massive breach of U.S. taxpayers’ information is more extensive than previously thought, The Wall Street Journal reports, affecting more than 300,000 taxpayers. 

In May, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reported that hackers, later believed to be from Russia, used Social Security numbers and other information acquired elsewhere to penetrate its computer databases. The hackers used this data to access about 100,000 U.S. taxpayers’ prior-year tax return information. 

RELATED: OPM Breach Exposes Agency’s Systemic Security Woes

On Monday, the IRS said that an internal review showed an additional 390,000 taxpayers were potentially affected, including around 220,000 additional households. The agency also said it identified about 170,000 “suspected attempts that failed to clear the authentication processes.”

Now, we want to hear from you! Would like to share your opinion or make a comment on the Unlock Your Wealth Radio Show? If so, then please leave your comment or questions in the space provided below and share this article with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter. Your comments or question could be chosen as our featured Money Question Monday and a phone call by financial expert Heather Wagenhals could dial your way to be live on the Unlock Your Wealth Radio Show.

Photo Credit: NewsWeek.com