Connecticut’s labor department on Wednesday issued a warning regarding a disturbing surge in fraudulent unemployment claims, suspecting that a 75% of the daily claims received are deceptive.
The surge in fraudulent activity is primarily attributed to a rise in identity theft, with criminals flooding the state’s unemployment system using stolen identities, which can be easily acquired online for as little as $1.
Connecticut Department of Labor Commissioner, Danté Bartolomeo, emphasized the immediate actions taken by CTDOL to inform employers when a claim is filed against them, often making employers the first to detect identity theft.
According to the Commissioner, when someone files a claim against employers, CTDOL promptly informs them. As a result, employers often become the initial informants about identity theft.
It is shocking that some of the victims, as stated by Bartolomeo, whose identities were stolen still remain employed by the very companies affected.
“In many cases, that employee still works for them,” wrote the Commissioner.
“Victims of ID theft also receive a notice of monetary determination, a notification that alerts them that someone has filed a claim using their identity. It’s critical that employers and employees report this fraud to CTDOL so we can protect benefits and the Trust Fund from fraud,” added Bartolomeo in a written announcement.
Individuals who fall victim to identity theft are also alerted through a notice of monetary determination, which signals that a fraudulent claim has been filed using their personal information. To protect the benefits and the Trust Fund from further fraudulent activities, the CTDOL strongly urges both employers and employees to promptly report any suspected fraud.
