Fraudulent Unemployment Claims

Fraudulent unemployment claims have been on the rise over the last year, which are likely due to the many COVID-19 stimulus payments that have been so readily available.  The Texas Workforce Commission experienced a rise from 1,100 unemployment claims in 2019 to 611,000 claims during the pandemic, with 3,500 confirmed cases of identity theft.  The state of Washington saw a rise from its few dozen fraudulent claims per year, to 122,000.  This means that if a claim was filed in your name, your PII (Personally Identifiable Information) has been compromised because a Social Security Number is required to file a claim.  Sources point to previous data breaches including the 2017 Equifax breach, where PII is being sold on the dark web.

Here are some steps you can take if a claim has been filed under your name.

• Report the claim by going to your state’s unemployment website, or use this link.

• Alert your Human Resources Department.

• Visit the Federal Trade Commission website.

You can also visit the Federal Trade Commission to learn more about Identity Theft.