Tax returns contain some pretty sensitive information. You would think that when a tax preparer collects your e-mail address, they might verify to make sure that it is your correct e-mail address. If that’s your assumption, clearly you are not H&R Block, which doesn’t particularly care whether they’re sending your personal information to you or not.
This will be familiar territory for anyone whose e-mail address happens to be [first initial][last name]@emailprovider.com, or [first name][last name]@emailprovider.com. (Attention L. Northrups of the world: Please check the e-mail addresses that you use for your car dealership newsletters and job applications.) However, one Ars Technica reader was not thrilled to receive the name, address, and security questions for the H&R Block account of someone he doesn’t know.
While the other man is a stranger, they have something in common: the same relatively common first and last names. While one Aaron reports that he does often get e-mail meant for the other Aaron, he was surprised to receive so much personal information.
Take this as a warning: if you use H&R Block, be sure to triple-check the e-mail address that you type in. Otherwise you might end up perpetuating identity theft against yourself.
Tax firm H&R Block doesn’t verify client’s e-mail, leaks personal info [Ars Technica]
by prakash chandra via Consumerist
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