FBI Warns About Increase in Fraudulent Unemployment Insurance Claims Filed Using Stolen Identities

According to the FBI, they have monitored a sudden increase in fraudulent unemployment insurance claims complaints that is related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in which the scammers are using stolen personally identifiable information (PII). 

They said that U.S. citizens from different states have fall victim to this scam in which the impersonators are using their stolen identities to submit fraudulent unemployment insurance claims online. The criminals are using different techniques to steal identities like buying stolen PII, previous data breaches, computer intrusions, cold-calling victims while using impersonation scams, email phishing schemes, physical theft of data from individuals or third parties, and from public websites and social media accounts. The criminal uses third parties or persuade individuals who are victims of other scams or frauds to transfer fraudulent funds to accounts controlled by criminals.

A lot of the victims of the identity theft related to unemployment insurance claims have no idea that they have been victimized until they try to file a claim for unemployment insurance benefits, receive a notification from the state unemployment insurance agency, receive an IRS Form 1099-G showing the benefits collected from unemployment insurance, or get notified by their employer that a claim has been filed while the victim is still employed.

The FBI advises the public to be on the lookout for the following suspicious activities:

1. Receiving communications regarding unemployment insurance forms when you have not applied for unemployment benefits
2. Unauthorized transactions on your bank or credit card statements related to unemployment benefits
3. Any fees involved in filing or qualifying for unemployment insurance
4. Unsolicited inquires related to unemployment benefits
5. Fictitious websites and social media pages mimicking those of government agencies

Tips on how to protect yourself:

• Be wary of telephone calls and text messages, letters, websites, or emails that require you to provide your personal information or other sensitive information, especially birth dates and Social Security numbers. Be cautious with attachments and embedded links within email, especially from an unknown email sender.
• Make yourself aware of methods fraudsters are using to obtain PII and how to combat them by following security tips issued by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, including:
•         Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks
•         Protecting Against Malicious Code
•         Preventing and Responding to Identity Theft
• Monitor your bank accounts on a regular basis and request your credit report at least once a year to look for any fraudulent activity. If you believe you are a victim, review your credit report more frequently.
• Immediately report unauthorized transactions to your financial institution or credit card provider.
• If you suspect you are a victim, immediately contact the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit records. Additionally, notify the Internal Revenue Service by filing an 
• Identity Theft Affidavit (IRS Form 14039) through irs.gov or identitytheft.gov.

 

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Job Scam: Unemployment Scam

 

 

 There's a new scam that needs to be exposed, you can call it the "unemployment scam". The criminals behind this scam steals other people personal information in order to apply for unemployment, then have the benefits funneled to a separate bank account.

Joe Goodway a teacher who is in summer hiatus got an employment benefit card in the mail even if he's still employed.

It all began when he got a letter from the State Labor Department, telling him that the benefits could not be directly deposited into an account instead it would be loaded into his card, which is likely part of the scam.

Joe Goodway said during an interview with News 4 in Buffalo, "At first I thought it was a letter telling me if I were to apply for unemployment benefits this is what I would get. My wife told me this looks like somebody already applied for it".

Then he after receiving the intitial letter he got two more notices showing he was entitled to New York’s full weekly unemployment benefit, the other his $600 provided by the government’s CARES Act.

Julie his wife said, "Our initial thought was that his identity or whatever had been stolen, maybe somebody got a hold of it."

Joe suspects that a data breach a few years ago involving his employer’s health insurance compromised his address and Social Security number. There were at least two hacks involving the insurance company’s vendors and some of his co-workers are dealing with the same notices. He reported the scam to the State Labor Department to cancel all the card’s benefits so they can’t be used.

If you are being targeted of unemployment fraud, report it on the State Department of Labor’s 24-hour hotline at 1-888-598-2077









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