Private information released by state in report

Social Security numbers erroneously posted online

MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Department of Revenue said Social Security numbers of thousands of people who sold their homes in 2011 were inadvertently included on an annual sales report that was publically available on the Internet for three months.

The department said Tuesday it has removed the report and was asking real estate agents and others who downloaded it to destroy their copy and get a new one without the sensitive information.

As many as 110,795 Social Security numbers and tax identification numbers were on the website in an embedded file available from April 5 through July 23.

Revenue spokeswoman Stephanie Marquis said someone who viewed it saw the personal information and notified the department Sunday night. Letters to everyone affected offering free credit monitoring for a year will be sent soon.

The confidential information was imbedded in a file that was erroneously posted online with the 2011 property sales report. That report was downloaded 138 times.