The National Department of Unemployment Assistance has reported a significant rise in unemployment scams due to the increased unemployment rate during the Coronavirus pandemic. Scammers have developed a new fraud scheme using personal information obtained from national data breaches prior to the pandemic to file fraudulent unemployment claims.
In a press release on May 27, state officials reported that Massachusetts has been a target of a new national scheme and has implemented some additional security measures to help combat the fraudsters. Those filing for unemployment assistance could see some delays in approval and processing of claims while this scam is being investigated and could be asked to provide additional proof of identity.
If you suspect someone has filed for assistance wrongfully or that someone has used your identity to claim unemployment, report it to the Department of Unemployment Assistance. Learn more about unemployment scams and how to protect yourself can be found.
