The Department of Homeland Security has issued an advisory warning about unemployment fraud. Unemployment fraud is the act of someone else using your identity to falsely claim unemployment benefits. Fraudsters are applying for unemployment with stolen personal information and requesting direct deposit of these financial benefits. Once those deposits are made, the funds are either withdrawn, transferred to other accounts or transferred overseas.
If you discover someone else has applied for unemployment using your identity:
- Report the fraud to your employer
- Report the fraud to your state unemployment benefits agency
- Carefully review “Identity Theft: A Recovery Plan” on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website
- Contact us for assistance
In addition, if you receive benefits that you didn’t apply for, contact your state unemployment agency as soon as possible.
