The FBI has opened an investigation into the recent breach at the IRS in which 100,000 people had their data hacked on the IRS website, according to CNBC.
The IRS announced earlier this week that thieves used publicly available information like Social Security numbers, dates of birth and street addresses to hack into people’s personal information on the IRS website. It was later reported that the thieves who gained access to the information by accessing a system called “Get Transcript” were based in Russia.
People contacted by the IRS as possible victims should take necessary steps to monitor and safeguard online information, the FBI said. The FBI’s investigation will parallel a current one by the IRS criminal division.
The IRS was starting an effort to contact the 200,000 people whose information was at risk of being stolen, and was offering free credit counseling to the 100,000 whose accounts were hacked.
(h/t CNBC)
