DataBreaches.Net

Menu
  • About
  • Breach Notification Laws
  • Privacy Policy
  • Transparency Report
Menu

Abandoned Jackson Hewitt tax office’s returns put customers at risk

Posted on November 6, 2011 by Dissent

Kathleen Pender reports:

A Bay Area woman named Kara got an upsetting call the morning of Oct. 22.

The caller said she had found Kara’s 2007 tax return lying in a pile with hundreds of others on the ground in front of an abandoned Jackson Hewitt tax preparation office at 1734 Divisadero St. in San Francisco.

The tax returns were damp, meaning they had been out at least overnight.

Read more on the San Francisco Chronicle.

There are some interesting aspects to this incident. First, the owner of the building, unable to reach the evicted tenant who was actually responsible for the files, called a shredding company. For that thoughtfulness and responsible behavior, she should be commended. Unfortunately, however, when the company did not show up on time, she took their suggestion to leave bags outside, explaining that she didn’t know what was in them. I do not view her as having any responsibility for those returns, but it was an unfortunate decision.

The real estate broker also took steps to secure the records once he was made aware of the breach. The only parties that do not seem to be taking this seriously enough or taking enough responsibility are the people who actually owned or managed the franchise and Jackson Hewitt itself:

Mayrand confirmed that he was evicted from his former office and moved out Sept. 10. He said he left the boxes and bags behind because “they were so heavy I couldn’t lift them.” He said he “edited” his files and that “every record (left behind) was over four years old.”  (So leaving people’s Social Security numbers and dates of birth on recrods over four years old doesn’t pose a risk? – Dissent)

Mayrand said his name was on the lease at the old office but that he only manages the franchise, which is owned by another man, whose identity could not be verified.

Mayrand said the tax returns “shouldn’t have been out there,” but he didn’t feel responsible for them. “As far as I was concerned they were properly disposed of.”

If Mayrand truly felt that the tax returns were properly disposed of, Jackson Hewitt either has not been clear enough in its franchise contracts or is not auditing and educating its franchisees sufficiently because leaving records behind is not “properly disposed of.”

This is not the first breach involving a Jackson Hewitt franchise. I have reported several of them over the years on my blogs. Some included accidents like returns blowing off a truck on their way to disposal or an employee accidentally mixing returns with store coupons that were sent out. But this breach, like the one in October 2010 that involved improper dumping, should concern customers, Jackson Hewitt, and a Congress that has failed to give us a law protecting paper records with sensitive information.

Category: Breach IncidentsBusiness SectorExposureOf NotePaperU.S.

Post navigation

← MN: Woman Charged With Stealing $6K From Credit Cards of Apple Valley Store Customers
Ca: Nearly 2,700 tax files downloaded on missing laptop →

2 thoughts on “Abandoned Jackson Hewitt tax office’s returns put customers at risk”

  1. Craig says:
    November 8, 2011 at 3:54 pm

    That is scary stuff. I would hate to be one of the customers that had their tax files just laying around for anyone to take. The best advice would be to do some research and choose a solid trustworthy tax preparer that has a track record in the community. A BBB A+ rating would be important to me.

  2. garykva says:
    November 9, 2011 at 12:03 pm

    Thats why I do not use a service like this – you get what you pay for. As for the records, if they knew of them, and were unable to pick them up, whats wrong with calling some one to give you a hand? There is no good excuse. The problem with this world these last few generations as there is lack of compassion and detail. They have their heads into electronic devices and lose their vision of common sense and commitment in my opinion.

    Do whats right. Can’t pick up the items? Call the cops. drag them to the curbside and get some other containers, and break into smaller amounts. If the owner of the building evicted the individulas, knowing it was a tax service, the ignorance or assumption of materials being taken care of means one thing, they are thinking of only one thing – the almighty dollar.

Comments are closed.

Now more than ever

"Stand with Ukraine:" above raised hands. The illustration is in blue and yellow, the colors of Ukraine's flag.

Search

Browse by Categories

Recent Posts

  • Masimo Manufacturing Facilities Hit by Cyberattack
  • Education giant Pearson hit by cyberattack exposing customer data
  • Star Health hacker claims sending bullets, threats to top executives: Reports
  • Nova Scotia Power hit by cyberattack, critical infrastructure targeted, no outages reported
  • Georgia hospital defeats data-tracking lawsuit
  • 60K BTC Wallets Tied to LockBit Ransomware Gang Leaked
  • UK: Legal Aid Agency hit by cyber security incident
  • Public notice for individuals affected by an information security breach in the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division of Helsinki
  • PowerSchool paid a hacker’s extortion demand, but now school district clients are being extorted anyway (3)
  • Defending Against UNC3944: Cybercrime Hardening Guidance from the Frontlines

No, You Can’t Buy a Post or an Interview

This site does not accept sponsored posts or link-back arrangements. Inquiries about either are ignored.

And despite what some trolls may try to claim: DataBreaches has never accepted even one dime to interview or report on anyone. Nor will DataBreaches ever pay anyone for data or to interview them.

Want to Get Our RSS Feed?

Grab it here:

https://databreaches.net/feed/

RSS Recent Posts on PogoWasRight.org

  • The App Store Freedom Act Compromises User Privacy To Punish Big Tech
  • Florida bill requiring encryption backdoors for social media accounts has failed
  • Apple Siri Eavesdropping Payout Deadline Confirmed—How To Make A Claim
  • Privacy matters to Canadians – Privacy Commissioner of Canada marks Privacy Awareness Week with release of latest survey results
  • Missouri Clinic Must Give State AG Minor Trans Care Information
  • Georgia hospital defeats data-tracking lawsuit
  • No Postal Service Data Sharing to Deport Immigrants

Have a News Tip?

Email: Tips[at]DataBreaches.net

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

Contact Me

Email: info[at]databreaches.net

Mastodon: Infosec.Exchange/@PogoWasRight

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

DMCA Concern: dmca[at]databreaches.net
© 2009 – 2025 DataBreaches.net and DataBreaches LLC. All rights reserved.