On July 23, the Missouri Department of Revenue refuted claims that it unlawfully disclosed, sold or disseminated Missourians’ personal information. Both federal and state laws require the Department to provide restricted personal information to certain qualified purchasers. Since 2005, the Department has taken steps to protect and minimize access to the personal information of all Missourians by closing many procedural loopholes in place before 2005 that made Missourians vulnerable to identity theft.
“Safeguarding personal information is one of the Department’s top priorities. This administration has taken aggressive action to correct the complacency of the past and to protect Missourians’ personal information,” said Director of Revenue Omar Davis. “The companies involved in this abuse were lawfully entitled to receive the information provided and certified, under penalty of perjury, that they were obtaining and using the information in accordance with the law. The companies intentionally deceived the Department, and their access to the information was immediately revoked when we discovered their deception in February.”
Davis cited the Department’s recently thwarted attempts to enhance motor vehicle and driver license systems’ security and to increase the record sales prices as key components of an effort to further protect Missourians’ information.
View the full press release for more information.