TurboTax Resumes E-filing for States
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Intuit Inc. (Nasdaq: INTU) announced that TurboTax has resumed e-filing of state income tax returns as of 3 p.m. Pacific time today. The company continues to work with the states as they build their own anti-fraud capabilities and will share best practices as it works toward the best interests of the taxpayer.
The resumption comes after the company temporarily paused transmissions upon seeing an increase in suspicious filings and attempts by criminals to use stolen identity information to file fraudulent state tax returns and claim tax refunds. During that time, Intuit worked with states that had raised concerns over state tax fraud.
“Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our customers’ data,” said Brad Smith, Intuit president and chief executive officer. “We are taking this issue very seriously and from the moment it emerged it has been all-hands-on-deck. We’ll continue to remain vigilant, but I am more than pleased that we were able to resume transmission for our customers within about 24 hours.”
After working with third-party security expert Palantir on a preliminary examination of recent fraud activities, Intuit believes that these instances of fraud did not result from a security breach of its systems. As a result of that examination, which is ongoing, Intuit implemented targeted security measures to combat the type of fraudulent tax activity that it is seeing. These additional steps include the implementation of Multi-Factor Authentication, a proven technology for protection against identity theft.
Filing of federal returns was not affected.
To assist any customers who believe they are victims of tax fraud, Intuit has implemented a plan that includes a dedicated toll-free number, 800-944-8596, with direct access to specially trained identity protection agents who will provide comprehensive support and filing assistance.
About Intuit Inc.
Intuit Inc. creates business and financial management solutions that simplify the business of life for small businesses, consumers and accounting professionals.
Its flagship products and services include QuickBooks®, Quicken® and TurboTax®, which make it easier to manage small businesses and payroll processing, personal finance, and tax preparation and filing. Mint.com provides a fresh, easy and intelligent way for people to manage their money, while Demandforce® offers marketing and communication tools for small businesses. ProSeries® and Lacerte® are Intuit's leading tax preparation offerings for professional accountants.
Founded in 1983, Intuit had revenue of $4.5 billion in its fiscal year 2014. The company has approximately 8,000 employees with major offices in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, India and other locations. More information can be found at www.intuit.com.
Cautions About Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the expected results of our efforts to address the reported fraudulent activities and prevent fraud in the future. We cannot be certain that we will be able to do so quickly or completely. Detecting and eliminating fraudulent activity is inherently difficult, and those who perpetrate these fraudulent activities are continuously changing their methods to avoid detection. Accordingly, our efforts may not be successful and actual results may differ materially from our goals and expectations. We do not undertake any duty to update any forward-looking statement or other information in this press release.
Intuit Inc.
Julie Miller, 858-215-8469
Julie_Miller@intuit.com
Diane
Carlini, 650-944-6251
Diane_Carlini@intuit.com
Source: Intuit Inc.
Released February 6, 2015