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Unemployment fraud cases popping up in area

By STEPHANIE MALENCH, Times-Tribune

A rash of unemployment fraud reports have been filed with the Troy Police Department and police departments across the United States. Several residents have phoned or come by the Times-Tribune office to report receiving the fraudulent mailings.

Troy Police Chief Brad Parsons reported that since October, at least 171 reports have been filed by citizens within the city limits that have received the mailings, originating overseas. Parsons reminds citizens that the government is not going to reach out to you to file a claim.

No one is immune to the scam, as Parsons also received the fraudulent application. Because he works for the police department, the city administrative staff also received a copy asking if he had been laid off from the city.

City Hall immediately faxed the letter to the Illinois Department of Economic Security to report the fraud.

Parsons said if you receive any kind of mailing asking for personal information do not fill it out. If a preloaded debit card is mailed, do not use it.

If you receive any mail that looks suspicious, immediately go to www2.illinois.gov/ides/Pages/default.aspx. Go to the drop down menu for Individual on the far left and click on Reporting Unemployment Insurance Fraud.

Next, click on Victims and Click on the Report Fraud Here button in the center of the page. The form will ask for your name and the Claimant ID number found on the upper right hand corner of the form, your phone number, and select the appropriate box(es) as to what you want.

Do not try to call the IDES, as they are overwhelmed with the large number of claims due to COVID-19 and the fraudulent claims and most calls are not going through.

Additionally, call your local police department immediately and have all the pieces of mail that have been sent to you.

smalench@timestribunenews.com

 

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