April 09,2008

Baucus Comments on TIGTA Identity Theft Report

MEMORANDUM

To: Reporters and Editors

From: Erin Shields for Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.)

Re: TIGTA report regarding tax-related identity theft


Senate Finance Committee Chairman Baucus commented today on a new report from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) indicating that the IRS can and
should be doing more to prevent taxpayer-related identity theft. The report entitled, 2008-40-086 Outreach Has Improved, but More Action Is Needed to Effectively Address Employment-Related and Tax Fraud Identity Theft, is online at:

www.ustreas.gov/tigta/auditreports/2008reports/200840086fr.pdf

From Chairman Baucus:

“The IRS needs to do more than help taxpayers respond to identity theft after the fact. The
IRS needs to help stop identity theft in the first place, and go after perpetrators with enough
vigor to deter future crimes. I’m bringing the IRS Commissioner and the Inspector General in for a hearing on Thursday to talk about what additional resources the IRS may need to stop identity theft, and what they could be doing better today. It’s time for the IRS to tackle identity theft head on, as a much higher priority than they do today.”

The Senate Finance Committee’s hearing on the consequences of tax-related identity theft,
entitled, “Identity Theft: Who’s Got Your Number?” will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday,
April 10, in Room 215 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. IRS Commissioner Douglas
Shulman, IRS National Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson, and Treasury Inspector General for Tax
Administration Russell George are scheduled to testify.

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