IRS Gave Contract Printer, Among Others, Access to Taxpayers’ Private Info Without Background Check

The Internal Revenue Service let some contract employees see taxpayers’ private information without ever sending the workers through a required background check, the agency’s internal auditor reported Thursday.

In one instance, the IRS gave a contract printer a computer disk containing 1.4 million taxpayer names, addresses and Social Security numbers, though none of the contract employees had the background investigation required to handle that type of information.

Investigators also found 20 IRS contracts where personnel didn’t sign nondisclosure agreements.