Unemployment Benefits Fraud
Cybercriminals continue to scam labor departments out of much-needed relief funds
Fraudulent unemployment benefit claims continue to plague unsuspecting victims nationwide, including New York State. The NYS Department of Labor (NYS DOL) shared that “over 425,000 fraudulent unemployment benefit claims” were identified during the pandemic in this press release. Most people don’t know they are victims of fraud until they are contacted by their Human Resources (HR) department or until they receive a benefits debit card in the mail. Experts still don’t know how the payments are collected or what stolen database is connected to the personally identifiable information used when cybercriminals file the claims. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) also issued a warning on fake unemployment
benefit websites , including convincing copies of State Workforce Agency (SWA) websites that unlawfully collect consumer personal information. The scammers use phishing emails and text messages to lure victims to these pages. If you believe you are a victim of unemployment benefit fraud please notify your HR department. You can also access the links provided below for additional information. U.S. DOJ: Unemployment Insurance Fraud NYS DOL: Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fraud (includes a 24-hour Toll-Free Hotline) News 10: Capital Region residents report identity theft due to widespread unemployment benefits fraud
Click “Play” to access the NPR “4-Minute Listen” on Unemployment Relief Fraud
Data Privacy & Security Service, Issue 22
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