It’s happening in Massachusetts, Washington, and maybe in your own neighborhood: Scammers are trying to swoop in and take advantage of pandemic unemployment assistance programs using your personal information.
The scam recently came to light in Boston, where residents received emails and physical letters about their recent unemployment applications. The problem? Those residents hadn’t applied for benefits.
In Massachusetts, people with valid unemployment claims may need to provide additional information to prove their identity—which may delay their payments. If you’ve heard about the headaches people are experiencing trying to access their legitimate unemployment claims, you can understand how frustrating these scam attempts are for all parties involved.
If you receive a notice about unemployment benefits you didn’t request, it’s important to notify your state’s unemployment office as soon as possible. Massachusetts set up an online form to help people report unemployment benefits fraud online, but if you state hasn’t had a rash of false claims, it may not have a special system set up for victims of this particular scam. You may need to bear with long wait times by phone or live chat.
But don’t stop at reporting the fraud attempt with your state: If someone has enough information about you to file for unemployment in your name, they have enough info to do plenty of damage to the rest of your financial life.
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The personal data used to file these fraudulent applications is coming from previous national data breaches, according to Massachusetts Office of Labor and Workforce Development. According to the Boston Globe, one fraudulent application had accurate information that included the victim’s full name, address, cell phone number, Social Security number, date of birth and even their approximate salary.
You’ll want to file a complaint with your state’s attorney general and with the Federal Trade Commission. It’s unlikely that either of these agencies will follow up with you after you do so, but that’s okay—the more information the public can provide, the easier it will be for the FTC and state agencies to track down fraudsters and take legal action against them.
But wait, you’re not finished yet. You also need to check your credit report to determine whether your financial records have been compromised beyond this false application for benefits. You can access your free credit report once per week, per credit bureau during the pandemic. While you’re there, freeze your credit to ensure no one can open new credit accounts in your name. It’s free, but you have to request one with Experian, Equifax and TransUnion individually.
And if you’re feeling overwhelmed, head over to www.identitytheft.gov. Based on your circumstances, it’ll generate a step-by-step plan to help you recover from financial fraud.
