The first thing you should do is to notify your HR department that an unemployment claim has been fraudulently filed in your name. We will work with your HR department to notify the state that this is not a valid claim and stop the payment of benefits.
Contact the State Workforce Agency to report potential fraud, and the state will notify you on what actions need to be taken next. It is best to use the contact information on the form itself when contacting the state in this case. Document the name and contact information of the individual you speak to and follow their instructions.
We encourage you to review the Federal Trade Commission website for additional information and guidance related to identity theft. Recommended actions include, but are not limited to:
- Contact bank and credit card companies.
- Communicate with the IRS (https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/identity-theft-and-unemployment-benefits)
- There is no requirement to file a Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit. A Form 14039 should be filed only if the taxpayers' e-filed tax return is rejected because a duplicate return with their Social Security number is already on file or if the IRS instructs them to file a Form 14039.
- Taxpayers who were victims of an unemployment benefits identity theft scheme should consider opting into the IRS Identity Protection PIN program. An IP PIN is a six-digit number that helps prevent thieves from filing federal tax returns in the names of identity theft victims. The IP PIN is a voluntary program open to any taxpayer who can verify his or her identity. See details at Get an IP PIN.
- Contact all three of the credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to place a freeze on your credit report.