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Maine and other states have been impacted by a massive unemployment fraud scheme that is diverting millions of dollars into the hands of criminals. Leveraging personal information from numerous data breaches, criminals are filing bogus unemployment claims in the names of individuals living across the country—including people living in Maine.
Some sources estimate that over $1 billion has been sent to fraudulent accounts. In Maine, over 12,000 fraudulent claims have been made over the course of the pandemic.
Employers and employees might still be receiving requests for verification of information from the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL). False claims should immediately be rejected and an identity theft report should be filed by the victim. To assist members, the League has created a flyer that outlines steps members can take if a fraudulent claim has been made in their name.
Credit unions should review ACH deposits and new account openings with extra scrutiny and make sure staff are aware of this scam. If your credit union sees something suspicious, contact Tyler Martin with the U.S. Secret Service, at Tyler.Martin@usss.dhs.gov, and Dan Perry with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, at Dan.Perry@usdoj.gov.