Subject to unemplyment scam Illinois - how do deal with it - implications?

[calimero]

Illinois UI

I received a letter from IDES (Illinois department of Employment Security) on 10/30 stating a UI finding in my favor. The reason stated is layoff on 04/25 which is not true. I never contacted IDES as I am employed. After a quick search I leaned that such scams have increased 2000%. I called the IDES but due to volume of calls they don't even place you on wait. The automated system promises a call back. I also filled out an online form. Well, after a week nobody called me. For good measure I called the local police who made a note of it with a number associated. Not a full police report at this point. I checked my credit and did not see a suspicious activity. I tend to be very careful with data and have a credit freeze. Still, it appears my data was stolen somehow and used for this scam.
Meanwhile I did receive my first debit card. I tried to call the debit card company (KeyBank), but it is also impossible to get to talk to somebody.

My questions:
1.) Anybody experience with this and can offer some pointers on what to do
2.) will this be part of my background check? i.e. if ever apply for a job will employer think I was unemployed?
3.) does this hit credit score?
.....

 

[Just Blue]

I'm tagging @commentator who is very well versed in UI.

 

[LdiJ]

Illinois UI

I received a letter from IDES (Illinois department of Employment Security) on 10/30 stating a UI finding in my favor. The reason stated is layoff on 04/25 which is not true. I never contacted IDES as I am employed. After a quick search I leaned that such scams have increased 2000%. I called the IDES but due to volume of calls they don't even place you on wait. The automated system promises a call back. I also filled out an online form. Well, after a week nobody called me. For good measure I called the local police who made a note of it with a number associated. Not a full police report at this point. I checked my credit and did not see a suspicious activity. I tend to be very careful with data and have a credit freeze. Still, it appears my data was stolen somehow and used for this scam.
Meanwhile I did receive my first debit card. I tried to call the debit card company (KeyBank), but it is also impossible to get to talk to somebody.

My questions:
1.) Anybody experience with this and can offer some pointers on what to do
2.) will this be part of my background check? i.e. if ever apply for a job will employer think I was unemployed?
3.) does this hit credit score?
.....

As Blue said once Commentator gets here you can get more info. However, as long as you don't spend any of the money that gets put on the card you should be ok in the long term. It should not impact your credit score at all.

 

[commentator]

Well, as best as I can tell, you received a notice about a claim filed on your social security number. Something about a favorable decision related to a lay off in April, 2020.. While, as you say, you've been employed this whole time and have NOT filed a claim. You might want to ask your employer if they might possibly have filed a claim for you, as sometimes they do file claims for employees in mass who are going to be off for a week or two.

I am a bit mystified as to how you'd have had a claim filed, approved....and well, did you actually receive this information at your home address, through the mail? Do go into the system and see if there is a claim filed for you. As in put in your social security number, see if it will produce any feedback. Please continue your efforts to speak to the department, as they are the only ones who can possibly give you any information about any claim filing that has happened. No outside agency, police department, credit bureau or anything else will be able to see ANYTHING about these issues.

The thing is, whether or not you have a social security number being used to file a claim, you wouldn't be receiving any money on the claim unless you or somebody else has been making weekly certifications for weeks of being unemployed. Every week, since April, or June, or when ever the claim was approved. They do not just automatically drop money into your account, you must apply for it weekly. Are you SURE there is no one in your immediate family who is doing this? Seriously, I have been involved in fraud investigation, and most often some nefarious dealings where claims were being filed and money was being paid out and you weren't aware of it was being done by someone close at hand.

So you say they've sent you a card. Agree with above as long as you don't use the card, there shouldn't be any money put on your card, and if there is, you definitely need to call the department......try the unemployment fraud hotlines, try contacting your state legislator and asking them to get you in touch with someone within the system, and get this matter straightened out.

The unemployment system is a closed system. They do not reveal information about what is going on in any unemployment claim to any outside sources like an employer who is not involved in the wages used for claim set up. So no, in the future, no one will be able to check anywhere and see that you were fraudulently or legally drawing a claim. The only thing you might do that would sink you related to this in an interview is start discussing it with a possible future employer. It would make you sound very confused.....

The local police have absolutely nothing to do with unemployment fraud from your personal point of view, unless perhaps your mail is being stolen. There would be no bloopy way they'd be interested in your theory that someone has filed a claim using your social security number fraudulently. Only after an incident of fraud has been investigated by the agency and the facts have been determined very thoroughly is anyone even going to think of involving the criminal justice system and recommending the person who did this for prosecution Your time would've been better spent trying to reach someone at IDES.

 

[cbg]

There is a massive unemployment scam going on nationwide. My husband, who is semi-retired and has been self-employed since the 80's, also received word about an unemployment claim in his name. Although he does not work for my employer, I reported it to the head of HR who confirmed that there were any number of false claims. We received an email about it, university-wide, only a week ago; it's still ongoing.

You need to report what happened to the UI office of your state. Definitely.

 

[calimero]

Well, as best as I can tell, you received a notice about a claim filed on your social security number. Something about a favorable decision related to a lay off in April, 2020.. While, as you say, you've been employed this whole time and have NOT filed a claim. You might want to ask your employer if they might possibly have filed a claim for you, as sometimes they do file claims for employees in mass who are going to be off for a week or two.

I am a bit mystified as to how you'd have had a claim filed, approved....and well, did you actually receive this information at your home address, through the mail? Do go into the system and see if there is a claim filed for you. As in put in your social security number, see if it will produce any feedback. Please continue your efforts to speak to the department, as they are the only ones who can possibly give you any information about any claim filing that has happened. No outside agency, police department, credit bureau or anything else will be able to see ANYTHING about these issues.

The thing is, whether or not you have a social security number being used to file a claim, you wouldn't be receiving any money on the claim unless you or somebody else has been making weekly certifications for weeks of being unemployed. Every week, since April, or June, or when ever the claim was approved. They do not just automatically drop money into your account, you must apply for it weekly. Are you SURE there is no one in your immediate family who is doing this? Seriously, I have been involved in fraud investigation, and most often some nefarious dealings where claims were being filed and money was being paid out and you weren't aware of it was being done by someone close at hand.

So you say they've sent you a card. Agree with above as long as you don't use the card, there shouldn't be any money put on your card, and if there is, you definitely need to call the department......try the unemployment fraud hotlines, try contacting your state legislator and asking them to get you in touch with someone within the system, and get this matter straightened out.

The unemployment system is a closed system. They do not reveal information about what is going on in any unemployment claim to any outside sources like an employer who is not involved in the wages used for claim set up. So no, in the future, no one will be able to check anywhere and see that you were fraudulently or legally drawing a claim. The only thing you might do that would sink you related to this in an interview is start discussing it with a possible future employer. It would make you sound very confused.....

The local police have absolutely nothing to do with unemployment fraud from your personal point of view, unless perhaps your mail is being stolen. There would be no bloopy way they'd be interested in your theory that someone has filed a claim using your social security number fraudulently. Only after an incident of fraud has been investigated by the agency and the facts have been determined very thoroughly is anyone even going to think of involving the criminal justice system and recommending the person who did this for prosecution Your time would've been better spent trying to reach someone at IDES.

A couple of points:
- yes the UI finding and debit card got sent to my home address
- I am assuming that my social ended up in the hands of identity theft rings thought recent hacks such as at Experian
- So, I am assuming somebody made a claim in my name. Not sure how the rest of theis scam works. Guessing they woudl call to cahnge address so that debit card goes somewhere else
- My company does RIF with "packages".
- the letter states "first certification" 11/03/20"
- I exhausted my creativity contacting IDES. Due to the call volume they have shutdown any possible entry point

 

[LdiJ]

A couple of points:
- yes the UI finding and debit card got sent to my home address
- I am assuming that my social ended up in the hands of identity theft rings thought recent hacks such as at Experian
- So, I am assuming somebody made a claim in my name. Not sure how the rest of theis scam works. Guessing they woudl call to cahnge address so that debit card goes somewhere else
- My company does RIF with "packages".
- the letter states "first certification" 11/03/20"
- I exhausted my creativity contacting IDES. Due to the call volume they have shutdown any possible entry point

You might consider writing them a letter instead. At least that will put them on notice even if it takes a while for them to deal with it. I would request a delivery acknowledgement from the Post Office so that you can prove you sent it if necessary.

You might also see if your governor's office has a hotline for citizens with issues. You could contact them as well.

 

[bcr229]

ADP has had several data breaches, so it's a good bet that's where the UI scammers got their info. Between COVID overwhelming the state unemployment systems and the $600/wk federal UI benefit earlier this year, UI scammers were able to steal billions in the past few months.

 

[commentator]

Yes, BUT, if they used your ss number to file a claim, you should be able to go in and see that a claim has been filed for you in the IDES. You should be able to see if your address has been changed. If it hasn't what would be the point of filing a claim that would be sending money to YOU? There is always a help email,, a place where you can file to report a problem, a question this, as I said, CONTACT your STATE government representative in your area of the state, tell their office the problem. They can go directly to the department, where you writing a letter to the department....well, I cannot think of anything more likely to get thrown away, and the time you would spend trying to get a verification that you wrote them a letter......well, it is better spent trying to reach someone within the system. Are you trying all through the day? Earlly in the morning is good. As I said, it is quite confusing to me that you are receiving things at your home address, but there's no way you can respond, on line or via telephone?

Someone is getting in, one try or even one try a day doesn't get it. This is something that no one else is going to be able to help you with, as I said it is a closed system. A general letter to anybody will go in junk, there are fifty or sixty different offices in the IDES, and the chances of you getting help that way are very unlikely.

Keep trying. You're not going to be hauled away to jail or anything. As long as you are making every effort to reach them, you're doing what you can. This is a long way from ruining your credit, too. I'm just very confused about how exactly it is happening. Yes, there's a lot of fraud going on, that's why in most states, there are places all over their websites to report fraud and to reach someone, and as things have been very busy lately the state legislators have been doing a lot of work to help their constitutiuients problems with unemployment resolved. But why would you be receiving things at your address if you've not filed a claim, and you're the one with the debit card? How would a fraudster be helping himself?