Tax Documents Potentially Stolen From LA County School Employees

Fraudulent tax returns filed in employees' names across multiple districts

Apr. 18, 2026 at 2:35am

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An extreme close-up photograph of a crumpled W-2 tax form, the details and textures of the paper highlighted by harsh, direct lighting against a dark background, conveying a sense of urgency and investigation around the data breach.A recent wave of fraudulent tax filings targeting school employees in Los Angeles County exposes the growing threat of identity theft and cybercrime in the education sector.Los Angeles Today

The Los Angeles County Office of Education is investigating a potential data breach that has led to fraudulent tax returns being filed using the personal information of teachers and administrators across multiple school districts in the county. Employees at two districts have already been notified that fake returns have been submitted in their names, and the full scope of the issue is still being determined.

Why it matters

Cyberattacks on school districts have become increasingly common in recent years, with hackers targeting sensitive employee and student data. This latest incident highlights the ongoing threat of identity theft and the need for robust cybersecurity measures to protect school personnel.

The details

The Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) manages payroll services for over 150,000 employees across 100 school districts, community colleges, and charter schools. LACOE has contracted with a vendor, W2Copy, to provide electronic W-2 tax documents to its employees and certain district employees. After some employees received letters indicating fraudulent tax returns had been filed in their names, LACOE launched an investigation and disabled access to the online W-2 portal as a precaution.

  • LACOE first became aware of the issue after employees at two school districts, on opposite ends of LA County, reported receiving letters about fraudulent tax filings.
  • Last week, as employees returned from spring break and began filing their taxes, more districts started reporting similar problems.
  • Earlier this week, LACOE's chief technology and financial officers sent warnings to school administrators about the fraudulent filings and provided guidance for affected employees.

The players

Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE)

The regional agency that manages payroll services for over 150,000 employees across 100 school districts, community colleges, and charter schools in Los Angeles County.

W2Copy

The vendor contracted by LACOE to provide electronic W-2 tax documents to its employees and certain district employees.

Lancaster School District

One of the school districts impacted by the fraudulent tax filings, where employees have been receiving letters about the issue.

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What they’re saying

“The Los Angeles County Office of Education is currently investigating fraudulent tax return filings from some employees both in our organization and in some L.A. County school districts. We are working with external experts and the W-2 vendor to review the issue. We will continue to provide updates to the community as appropriate.”

— Van Nguyen, Public Information Officer, LACOE

“This week, we've been hearing from a lot more. After we started hearing about us, we heard that other districts nearby were also impacted.”

— Karla Estupinian, Spokesperson, Lancaster School District

What’s next

LACOE is continuing its investigation into the data breach and working with the vendor W2Copy and external cybersecurity experts to determine the full scope of the issue and how the fraudulent tax filings occurred. The agency has temporarily disabled access to the online W-2 portal as a precaution.

The takeaway

This incident underscores the growing threat of cyberattacks targeting sensitive employee data at school districts, which have become increasingly common in recent years. It highlights the need for robust cybersecurity measures and vigilance to protect against identity theft and fraudulent activity.