3 Ga. women accused of using genealogy website for tax fraud scheme

ATLANTA (AP) Three Atlanta women are accused of running a $2 million tax fraud operation, using Ancestry.com to find confidential information.

WSB-TV reports police have issued arrest warrants for Shawuana Sanders, Monica Person and Tania Zelada. Authorities say the women found Social Security numbers on the website and used them on tax returns. The IRS then sent the refunds to the address of the women.

Cyber-security expert David Burton says it is remarkably easy to find Social Security numbers on the website.

A spokesman for Ancestry.com says the website placed the Social Security Death Index behind their pay wall to ensure only dedicated family history researchers who have paid for an Ancestry.com subscription can access this information.