Unemployment Fraud

What to Do if You're a Victim of Unemployment Fraud

Identity thieves are always looking for ways to defraud unsuspecting and innocent victims. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has provided the perfect opportunity. Fraudsters have capitalized on the uncertainty and anxiety of the pandemic in a variety of unscrupulous ways.

They've even gone so far as to steal unemployment benefits.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), there's a large-scale national scam whereby criminals, believed to be based overseas, are using the names and personal information of people who have not lost their jobs to file fraudulent claims. It's estimated that tens of thousands of unsuspecting people have already been victimized.

If you're a victim of unemployment fraud, you may not even be aware of it until you receive a notice from your state's employment office or from your employer. If that should happen, there are some important steps you need to take:

  1. Inform your employer. Whether it's your current or former employer, they need to know that a fraudulent claim has been made on your behalf.
  2. Contact your state's unemployment office. Many states provide the opportunity to notify them about a fraudulent claim online. Be sure to keep a copy of any documentation you receive
  3. File a report with your local police department. Get a copy of the report so that you have it on record that your identity may have been compromised.
  4. Contact each of the three major credit bureaus to put a freeze on your credit. Such a freeze will ensure that no new credit accounts can be opened in your name. The contact information for the three credit bureaus is as follows:

    Experian: 1-888 397 3742 or Experian.com
    Equifax: 1-800-349-9960 or Equifax.com
    TransUnion: 1-888-909-8872 or TransUnion.com

    You can also have one of the credit bureaus place a free one-year fraud alert on your credit.
  5. Review your credit report regularly. You are entitled to one free copy a year from each of the three major credit bureaus. Plus, these three major credit reporting bureaus are offering free, weekly reports through April 2021. Visit AnnualCreditReport.com to learn more. 
  6. Track account activity. With tools like Online and Mobile Banking, you can monitor all your account activity any time. If you notice any unauthorized transactions, notify us immediately. 6. Track account activity. With tools like Online and Mobile Banking, you can monitor all your account activity any time. If you notice any unauthorized transactions, notify us immediately.

For more information on ways to protect yourself from identity theft, visit the government's ID theft website.