NEW HAVEN — February’s data breach involving Anthem customers has resulted in a surge of bogus state tax returns victimizing Anthem customers.
The state attorney general’s office says Anthem Inc. customers are increasingly reporting fraudulent tax returns being filed using their names and other personal information.
Spokesman Robert Blanchard said that because of the number and variety of recent data breaches, state officials cannot pinpoint the origin of potential identity theft.
The New Haven Register reports that Blanchard says it’s easy for an overlap to occur. The state recommends Anthem consumers who believe their identity has been compromised enroll in an identity theft protection program offered by Anthem.
A Department of Revenue Services spokeswoman says the increase in fraudulent state tax returns being filed is “quite significant.”
Anthem, which is the nation’s second-largest health insurance company, said in February as many as 80 million customers had their account information stolen.
At that time, Department of Revenue Services Commissioner Kevin Sullivan Commissioner advised taxpayers who may have been affected by the Anthem data breach, and who were expecting federal or state income tax refunds, to file their tax returns as soon as possible.
“The personally identifiable information apparently hacked at Anthem is exactly what tax fraud thieves use to make false refund claims that appear to be legitimate,” said Sullivan in February. “They will try to file for and steal the refund before the real taxpayer has a chance. Then the taxpayer will be denied the refund and it can take years to resolve the problem.”
