Tax forms reissued to Maryland residents whose sensitive data was sent to wrong addresses

BALTIMORE -- An estimated 6,000 Marylanders who mistakenly received tax forms belonging to other residents due to an internal printer malfunction will be reissued 1099-G forms, according to the Maryland Comptroller's Office.

The 1099-G tax forms the comptroller's office mailed had one person's name and address on the outside, but someone else's data inside, according to Comptroller Brooke Lierman.

"My message is we take their security seriously and I'm deeply apologetic for this mistake," Lierman said. "I know that they are nervous so we want them to know they can always reach out to us." 

Lierman said the state prints more than 800,000 1099-G forms every year. 

"At one point, the printer simply malfunctioned and had to be started again, and when it started again, it went one data set below where it supposed to so that the pages didn't match up correctly," Lierman said. 

Correcting the issues

Lierman told WJZ her office will now do spot checks during the printing process, and the forms will no longer include full social security numbers.

Taxpayers can also download a duplicate form online at www.marylandtaxes.gov/1099G.   

The Office of the Comptroller says it will pay for one year of credit monitoring for all impacted residents through Kroll, a company specializing in identity theft protection. 

Affected taxpayers with concerns can call 410-260-7980 or 1-800-638-2937 and select "option 2." They can also email gad@marylandtaxes.gov with the subject line "1099G Issue."  

Affected Taxpayers frustrated 

Many of those who received the incorrect mailings are frustrated, and worried about identity theft after their Social Security numbers were sent to people they do not know. 

"If I have all this girl's information, that means someone else has all my information, and I'm quite concerned about that because they can go and ruin my credit," Jessica Butrim told Hellgren after receiving the wrong form.