Unemployment fraud is on the rise. Imposters are taking advantage of higher unemployment claims during the COVID-19 pandemic. Identities are being stolen of those who are often unaware and employed. Many people are learning that they are victims of unemployment fraud after they receive a notice from their state unemployment office. Some receive notice from their employers about the application for unemployment benefits. If this has happened to you or someone you know, then we have compiled a short list of what to do next.
What to do if you’ve been a victim:
Start by reporting the fraud to your employer, followed by reporting the fraud to your state’s unemployment benefits agency, preferably online. We then suggest reporting the fraud on identitytheft.org, this will alert the FTC and give you benefits such as fraud alerts and a credit freeze. Our last piece of advice is to monitor your credit report! Download your free annual credit report here. Coming this fall, we will launch CreditSense in our online banking platform. This new service will provide you with your current credit score and tips to help raise that score. This will serve as a great tool to monitor your financial wellness.
If by chance one of the imposters tries to contact you, ignore them entirely no matter what. Do not forget to unfreeze your credit report if you need to apply for a loan or credit card. Remember that we are always here to assist you as best as we can so if you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us.
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