Seattle Archdiocese hosts community Meetings on IRS scam

More than a thousand people with ties to the Seattle Archdiocese have now been touched by a scam that uses personal information to file false tax returns with the IRS.

The Diocese, in conjunction with the IRS, is holding a series of community meetings to talk about their investigation and offer help to those who’ve had their information stolen.

“Those people who participate in these regional meetings will participate in the investigation,” says Archdiocese Spokesman Greg Magnoni.

The Seattle Archdiocese is working with the IRS, the FBI and their own private forensic security firm to try and determine how the private information of thousands of parishoners, parents, employees and volunteers got into the hands of scammers.

“Our top priority right now is to determine what the source of the problem is,” says Magnoni.

Until they know the source of the problem, Magnoni says they’re limited in what they can do to address the issue.

In addition to offering help, the IRS will be collecting information from people who attend the regional meetings. That information will be used to assist possible victims, and it will be used to help with the investigation.

The first of six meetings will be held Tuesday night at O’Dea High School in Seattle from 7pm to 8:30pm. There’s also a meeting Tuesday at St. Louise Parish in Bellevue from 6:30pm to 8pm.

Here’s a list of future meetings in the area:

Friday, March 28th
– St. Rose Parish
2571 Nichols Blvd, Longview, WA 98632, 7pm-8:30pm

Monday, March 31st
– St. Michael Parish
1208 11th Ave SE, Olympia, WA 98501, 7pm-8:30pm

Thursday, April 3rd
– Holy Rosary Parish
630 7th Ave N, Edmonds, WA 98020, 7pm-8:30pm

Monday, April 7th
– St. Charles Parish
935 Peterson Rd, Burlington WA 98233, 7pm-8:30pm

Magnoni also recommends anyone with ties to the Seattle Archdiocese check their website regularly for updated information on their investigation. http://www.seattlearchdiocese.org/default.aspx