- The UI Finding letter is sent whenever a new application for unemployment insurance is filed.
- As a victim, you can use the information from the fraudulent UI Finding letter to report the fraud to IDES.
- Find the Claimant ID in the upper-right corner, and fill out the fraud reporting form above. This allows IDES to investigate and shut down the fraudulent claim.
- If you did not receive a UI Finding Letter, but believe you are a victim of fraud, you must call IDES at (800) 814-0513 to report the fraud.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens after I report the identity theft to IDES?
After you report identity theft fraud to IDES, the Department will investigate the claim. If the claim is determined to be fraudulent, IDES will shut down the claim. The Department will also send a notice, called a 500B Determination letter, to confirm that the claim has been stopped.
If someone steals my identity and IDES pays benefits to the fraudster, am I responsible for paying back the money?
No. You will not need to pay back the money. Your employer won’t have to repay it either.
If someone steals my identity and uses my information to apply for unemployment benefits, can I still apply for benefits if I need to?
Yes. We’ll be able to distinguish your legitimate claim from a fraudulent one.
What if I reported the fraud but still received a letter stating that I must pay back an overpayment?
If you received a notice or letter from us saying you owe us money, we sent this notice of overpayment in error if you recently reported fraud, or have not applied for or received unemployment benefits recently.
We're so sorry for the anxiety this must have caused, and we want to reassure you that you do not owe any money as a result of a fraudulent claim. If you are a victim of fraud, you can ignore the overpayment notice. Our unemployment benefits computer system sends overpayment letters automatically when people really do need to repay benefits. Due to the massive number of fraudulent claims filed recently, the computer system sent many of these letters in error before we could stop them. We’re sorry you accidentally received one.
Will any funds paid on the fraudulent claim in my name be reported to the IRS as income?
No. Fraudulent funds are not reported as income to the IRS, and you will not receive a 1099-G form from IDES if you report the fraud.
After you report to IDES that you were the victim of identity theft, go to the
Federal Trade Commission and take additional steps to protect yourself from further acts of fraud.
