Not fraud, but incompetence.

Seems what I thought was fraud the other day was actually Canada Revenue. I received a letter from them today at my home address for a Michael Barrick with two middle initials, one of which happens to be an R, which is my middle initial. I, however, only have one middle name. The social insurance number is not mine, and I still have my 2003 notice of assessment showing my refund. Tomorrow I have some phone calls to make. I am not pleased about being harassed about someone else's debt. Am I also not pleased about the fact that I have been handed this other Michael Barrick's social insurance number and the exact amount he owes on his 2003 taxes without anyone actually making sure that this personal information was going to the right person. At this point if I wanted to assume this other Michael Barrick's identity, I could. I have his social insurance number, and obviously I have other I.D. with the "right" name on it. I could open bank accounts and credit card accounts as this other Michael Barrick without the slightest bit of difficulty. His identity has been seriously compromised by an incompetent tax collector. That is scary. What if my name was John Smith or Joe Wong? How often do things like this happen?