Department of Labor Warns of Increased Fraud Claims

Since the start of this month, Monroe Police received more than a dozen complaints from residents victimized by a scam in which someone fraudulently applied for unemployment benefits from the Connecticut Department of Labor using their names and information.

Connecticut and eight other states are currently experiencing a new uptick in fraudulent unemployment applications.

There was a spike in unemployment claims submitted using stolen identities across the country during the pandemic and that fraudulent activity is continuing. Connecticut has not been immune, and this came at a time when the Department of Labor updated its 40-year-old unemployment filing system which may have compounded the problem.

The state Department of Labor is partnering with the U.S. Department of Labor, the Office of Inspector General and law enforcement agencies to take steps to combat fraud and protect the Unemployment Trust Fund. The CTDOL homepage now includes Fraud Watch, an access point to information for employers and individuals about unemployment fraud and identity theft.

If you didn’t file a claim for unemployment benefits and any of the below happen, you may be a victim of ID theft:

• You are still working, and you or your employer receive a request for information about an unemployment claim in your name.
• You receive a monetary determination letter.
• You receive a1099G tax form.
• You receive unexpected unemployment benefits.

FILE AN ID THEFT REPORT FORM HERE

CTDOL will never: 

• Call you and ask you for your account username or password
• Do individual unemployment claims work over text
• Use social media for claims work. CTDOL will never ask for identifying information, photos, or documents through social media.

Beware of Text & Email Scams

• Do not click on any links or attachments.
• Check URLs carefully to ensure an exact match with CTDOL web resources.
• If you have a question, always navigate to your unemployment account through ReEmployCT or call the Consumer Contact Center.
• If you get a scam text, report it to your carrier. Forward it to 7726 (SPAM). (This works for all major mobile companies)

Best Practices Include:

• Use different passwords for your social media, banking, and other accounts
• Change your passwords regularly
• Use strong passwords—upper and lowercase letters, symbols, possibly a short phrase in lieu of a single word, and stay away from dictionary words.
• Use two-factor authentication to access your accounts whenever possible.
• If you receive a message via text or email and it seems suspicious, do not reply to the message; instead, independently search out the contact information for the organization so you can confirm the communication.

If you’re a victim of this type of scam, Police advised you to contact the three major credit bureaus, monitor financial accounts and report the incidents to the Labor Department and the Social Security Administration.