‘Everybody got everybody else’s 1099’: Printing error on tax forms caused taxpayers distress, state says

By Barry Simms

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    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WBAL) — The state is blaming a printing error for tax forms that caused thousands of taxpayers distress.

11 News spoke to multiple people who said they received information that belonged to other people. The information included the social security numbers and addresses of other people.

“Everybody got everybody else’s 1099,” said Baltimore attorney Steven Silverman, who said he was contacted about the issue.

A woman called the situation distressing. Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman’s office is now apologizing.

The mail went to those unable to work when a ship hit the Key Bridge in March, causing the structure to collapse. The state provided a stipend, paying dock workers, truck drivers and others while they were unable to do their jobs.

The workers expected to get 1099-G tax forms reflecting what they were paid. Instead, according to the comptroller’s office, nearly 6,000 people got information belonging to someone else.

Silverman has handled multiple data breach cases that have involved criminal activity. He said this doesn’t reach that level.

He was contacted by a client who was extremely disturbed by the mix-up.

“It’s certainly unsettling,” Silverman said. “We know we live in a world where we protect our social security numbers. It’s certainly disheartening that the Comptroller’s Office didn’t have better guardrails in place to properly send these out.”

The comptroller’s office released a statement Tuesday afternoon, saying it has identified a printing malfunction that led to some 6,000 1099-G forms going to incorrect addresses.

“The printing error did not impact other tax forms produced by the agency,” the statement said. “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 comptroller’s office said corrected 1099-G forms 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.

The comptroller’s office said it will pay for credit monitoring services for the affected individuals, and it will send more instructions at a later time.

Affected taxpayers can 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,” the comptroller’s statement said.

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