Archdiocese In Washington Says Data Breach May Lead To Fraud

The Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle says some employees and volunteers may be victims of national tax refund fraud because of a data breach.

The Seattle Times reported that the archdiocese posted a notice about the problem Monday on its website.

Archdiocese officials say they have told the FBI about the breach and have hired a forensic security firm to try to identify its source.

In a tax refund scheme, the IRS says identity thieves typically file fraudulent refund claims using a taxpayer’s identifying information. That can mean delayed or diverted tax refunds.

The archdiocese says those who think they may have been affected should check with the IRS to see if returns have already been filed in their names.