Unemployment Fraud

[Ambience]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida, but the benefits were coming from New York

Hi.. First of all, I just want to say that I know what I did was wrong. I am willing to pay back all that I received with penalties under a payment plan, and my biggest fear is jail-time, losing my new job, and having a felony on my record.

When I was fired from my job, I was a wreck. I had been dealing with sexual harassment and was in a position as a manager for a sort of 'vendor' inside a larger retail store. I had to fire my employee for a severe conflict of interest, and while I kept bringing people up to hire in, my own managers had yet to approve of anyone. This meant that I worked every day for over a month straight and more. I attempted to call around to find someone to give me days off, but no one was willing to help and honestly, I needed the money. As I mentioned, I was dealing with a handicapped (due to having lost one eye, the man was completely sane otherwise) man who was sexually harassing me. He would come in and talk about the most inappropriate things and he wasn't the only one. He wasn't my employee though, so I didn't want to get into it with the host store's management. Long story short, they contacted me once, told me that they felt it was my responsibility as a manager to report things like that. So when I went to them about it continuing, since it was their employee, I ended up getting told to come back at a certain day, ended up in an office with them and my stand-in manager (because we were in the middle of getting new higher ups), questioned about it, and fired the next day for no reason. It was like I was being punished for doing as I was told and I immediately filed for unemployment with Florida and looking for new work. A month went by, and I found out I had to file with New York because I had started working up there for that company and had been transferred to Florida. They tried to deny my benefits, another month went by.. I was falling further behind with gas for going out looking for work, etc... Finally I was accepted and got reimbursed for the money I had been claiming since I filed for New York unemployment, but I was still struggling having gone from almost 2000 every two weeks to only about 810.

It took about three months to find a job, but I did and I love it! But I was still behind, I was playing catch up and like a complete idiot, I kept claiming for about two months. That's about 8 times and as soon as I stopped, I received a letter from the NYS Dept of Labor with an audit. I had planned on calling them back after saving up enough to repay them (and I'm not lying, guilt like that eats at me, my record is spotless) even before the letter. It said on it that if I was working now, just to return it at my earliest convenience so I didn't think it was a huge deal.. I was newly engaged shortly after becoming unemployed so a lot of our money has already gone to a very small and inexpensive wedding (which has been funded by extra money since after I stopped claiming, not the NYS UI Benefits). Meaning I don't have anything saved.. I've thought about looking for some kind of $5000 loan to offer to pay them back immediately, but I'm not sure I can find that having only a fair amount of credit.

So I ignored it and started planning a budget to save for that, but a week later, I missed a certified letter delivery from NYS Dept of Labor, and here we are today. I haven't been arrested, haven't spoken to anyone, but I'm scared. I know I was so stupid and I don't know what I was thinking and I want to make this right and put it behind me but I'm terrified of jail and how can I pay them back if I lose my job due to being put there?

 

[Banned_Princess]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida, but the benefits were coming from New York

Hi.. First of all, I just want to say that I know what I did was wrong. I am willing to pay back all that I received with penalties under a payment plan, and my biggest fear is jail-time, losing my new job, and having a felony on my record.

When I was fired from my job, I was a wreck. I had been dealing with sexual harassment and was in a position as a manager for a sort of 'vendor' inside a larger retail store. I had to fire my employee for a severe conflict of interest, and while I kept bringing people up to hire in, my own managers had yet to approve of anyone. This meant that I worked every day for over a month straight and more. I attempted to call around to find someone to give me days off, but no one was willing to help and honestly, I needed the money. As I mentioned, I was dealing with a handicapped (due to having lost one eye, the man was completely sane otherwise) man who was sexually harassing me. He would come in and talk about the most inappropriate things and he wasn't the only one. He wasn't my employee though, so I didn't want to get into it with the host store's management. Long story short, they contacted me once, told me that they felt it was my responsibility as a manager to report things like that. So when I went to them about it continuing, since it was their employee, I ended up getting told to come back at a certain day, ended up in an office with them and my stand-in manager (because we were in the middle of getting new higher ups), questioned about it, and fired the next day for no reason. It was like I was being punished for doing as I was told and I immediately filed for unemployment with Florida and looking for new work. A month went by, and I found out I had to file with New York because I had started working up there for that company and had been transferred to Florida. They tried to deny my benefits, another month went by.. I was falling further behind with gas for going out looking for work, etc... Finally I was accepted and got reimbursed for the money I had been claiming since I filed for New York unemployment, but I was still struggling having gone from almost 2000 every two weeks to only about 810.

It took about three months to find a job, but I did and I love it! But I was still behind, I was playing catch up and like a complete idiot, I kept claiming for about two months. That's about 8 times and as soon as I stopped, I received a letter from the NYS Dept of Labor with an audit. I had planned on calling them back after saving up enough to repay them (and I'm not lying, guilt like that eats at me, my record is spotless) even before the letter. It said on it that if I was working now, just to return it at my earliest convenience so I didn't think it was a huge deal.. I was newly engaged shortly after becoming unemployed so a lot of our money has already gone to a very small and inexpensive wedding (which has been funded by extra money since after I stopped claiming, not the NYS UI Benefits). Meaning I don't have anything saved.. I've thought about looking for some kind of $5000 loan to offer to pay them back immediately, but I'm not sure I can find that having only a fair amount of credit.

So I ignored it and started planning a budget to save for that, but a week later, I missed a certified letter delivery from NYS Dept of Labor, and here we are today. I haven't been arrested, haven't spoken to anyone, but I'm scared. I know I was so stupid and I don't know what I was thinking and I want to make this right and put it behind me but I'm terrified of jail and how can I pay them back if I lose my job due to being put there?

ok. first of all. call them.

tell them you intend on paying it pack asap.

if you don't they will intercept your tax refund, or the next time you need unemployment benefits, they wont pay them until the amount you would have received from them zeros the balance.

they aren't interested in arresting you, or making you lose your new job... they just want their money back. so call them.

 

[commentator]

Even as there was no darn way you were going to get away with this money, with filing for the 8 additional weeks and thinking no one would find out about it, you are NOT doing yourself any favors by pissing around waiting until you think you can offer them money to contact them. What you are doing (ignoring their contacts) is the one thing that can very well get them riled enough about you to actually launch a prosecution.

As BP says, they aren't really as interested in putting you in jail or charging you with a felony as they are in getting their money back eventually. If you continue to hide out from them, they will try harder and harder, and will finally go through with criminal charges if you really make them frustrated. Until then, you do not need a lawyer to deal with them and having one would not help you. Unemployment fraud of this nature is VERY common, and they are quite used to dealing with repentant (now that I've been caught) liars and thieves.

Incidentally, when dealing with the fraud unit, can all the stories about why you did it and what a hard time you have had. Ho hum. You did it. It was wrong. The system assumes you may do it, so it is very much crossmatched and set up so that you 'll be caught. You were.

As it is right now, they can always take your income tax refunds, can always stop you from drawing future benefits until you get thie overpayment taken care of, and will already do so. But call them, call the fraud unit that is sending you the letters, and tell them you want to pay the money back, you know you did wrong, and that you will make a good faith effort to get the money back to them. Do this even before you have "saved up" the money to pay them back. Ask if they have waivers of overpayment based on your financial circumstances in that state. Incidentally, pleading that you do not have the extra cash to pay back the money you obtained fraudulently because you're trying to save up for your wedding is barf-inducing. I suggest you don't mention it.

If you set up a repayment program, be sure you do not over estimate the situation and how much you will be able to pay. Better to pay a very small amount each month than to swear that you'll pay them $1000 a month and then default on the repayment.

CALL THEM. NOW.

 

[Ambience]

Removed. Thanks for all the answers. =]

 

[swalsh411]

Start your own thread.

 

[commentator]

You don't have to worry, they'll catch you anyway. It would be nice if you wanted to contact the unemployment system and report yourself, and start the process of determining the overpayment now. But whether you do or not, the wages from your new job will cross match with the unemployment insurance money you 've received while working, and you'll be caught and contacted.

I don't understand why people honestly believe they can get away with this, that no one has ever tried it before, and that it is clever or even something to consider. But the sooner you start making amends and dealing with it, the better. And next time, start your own thread.

 

[bmb1011]

I need help. I have committed Unemployment fraud and advice!!! PLease INDIANA

I live in Indiana and committed unemployment fraud. My husband was laid off then returned to work, I continued to claim benefits for 8 weeks to help us catch up. We received a call from someone from the Unemployment office reguarding his claim. we returned the call but haven't heard back yet. We also haven't got anything in the mail. What is likley going to happen?? Are they going to show up and arrest my husband or can we work this out with them??? Thank you Ps. I stopped claiming benefits in Jan.

 

[TheGeekess]

I live in Indiana and committed unemployment fraud. My husband was laid off then returned to work, I continued to claim benefits for 8 weeks to help us catch up. We received a call from someone from the Unemployment office reguarding his claim. we returned the call but haven't heard back yet. We also haven't got anything in the mail. What is likley going to happen?? Are they going to show up and arrest my husband or can we work this out with them??? Thank you Ps. I stopped claiming benefits in Jan.

Necroposting and hijacking are not appreciated in this forum. Please start your own thread to ask your questions.

 

[commentator]

Agree, if you can find the posts to necropost on, you should find out everything you need to know by reading what was said in these posts. And as others have been told again and again in these posts, the best thing for you to do is work with the person from unemployment fraud who contacted you. Pay the money back promptly. Under these circumstances, there will be penalties assessed and you/he will be monitored carefully, because this is not in any way "a mistake" this is clear cut deliberate fraud.

But if you cooperate and do not ignore their calls or if you do not attempt to "fight back" or defend your obviously guilty selves by getting an attorney, it will work out for you. If you do act attitudinal, they'll push harder and COULD, if they wanted to, prosecute your husband. I'm forever amazed at how common this is, hubby goes back to work, wife keeps filing his unemployment benefits. With or without his knowledge, though the system assumes he is responsible and he does know. How stuuuppid!! Did you really think no one would notice? Or that you are the first person who's ever thought of doing this, so they don't have any systems up to cross match and catch people? And did you really think you'll get off scott free and they'll penalize your husband? I hope he really loves you.