Unemployment Fraud Scams
State officials are warning residents of scams involving false unemployment claims.
According to media reports, some residents have received 1099 forms claiming that the resident received unemployment benefits during 2020 — benefits that he/she neither applied for nor received. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is believed that unemployment fraud has been more widespread over the past year than in other years.
If you learn or suspect that someone has fraudulently applied for unemployment benefits in your name, officials recommend that you take the following steps:
In Ohio:
1) Go to unemploymenthelp.ohio.gov. Click on the Report Identity Theft button and fill out the form. Reporting this information will provide the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services with the necessary information to investigate your claim and, if necessary, issue corrections on your 1099 to the IRS.
2) If you received a 1099 form for unemployment benefits you never received, you should not report those benefits on your taxes, according to the Ohio Department of Taxation.
3) Take the necessary steps to protect your identity, including:
● Reporting the incident to local law enforcement;
● Reviewing your credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com; and,
● Placing a fraud alert on your credit reports
You can find additional fraud and identity theft resources on the Ohio Unemployment Identity Theft website, or in the Security & Privacy section of the credit union's website.
In Indiana:
1) Go to www.in.gov/dwd/indiana-unemployment/fraud. You will need to download the linked form, complete, and fax to the number printed on the form.
2) Note that Indiana also requires you to file a report with the FTC. Go to ftc.gov to file this report.
3) If you are currently employed, contact your human resources department, so that they can protest your claim with the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.
3) Take the necessary steps to protect your identity, including:
● Reporting the incident to local law enforcement;
● Reviewing your credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com; and,
● Placing a fraud alert on your credit reports
You can find additional fraud and identity theft resources on the FTC's IdentityTheft.gov website, or in the Security & Privacy section of the credit union's website.
updated 2/4/2021