170,000 residents of the state of Wisconsin are being notified that their tax forms were mailed out with their social security numbers visible on the front.

State officials are now in a mad scramble to try to get as many of the forms back as possible before they are delivered to mailboxes.

The “computer error” leaves many residents open to possible identity theft as officials fear the numbers could be lifted from the forms by identity thieves who could then use the social security numbers to set up credit accounts.

Often victims of identity theft don’t know about these new accounts until they start to receive bills on the accounts opened by the thieves.

Beause it’s an extended weekend with the national day of mourning for President Ford following New Year’s Day, officials hope to recover any forms before they are processed through the post office.