APD has received several reports of fraudulent unemployment claims from many local residents who are still working and have not filed for unemployment.
If you are a victim, visit the Washington State Employment Security Department's website to file a claim and closely monitor your accounts for other fraudulent activity.
Please note that the Washington State Employment Security Department's website is the best contact for victims since they issue a claim number and can deny and cancel fraudulent claims. If you have filed a claim on this site, there is no longer a need to call 911 to speak with an officer.
https://www.esd.wa.gov/unemployment/unemployment-benefits-fraud
Information you will need to provide when reporting benefit fraud:
- Your full name
- Last 4 numbers of your Social Security number (never put your full SSN in an email)
- Your address
- Your date of birth
- Brief description of how you found out an imposter-fraud claim was filed using your information
- Please let them know: If an imposter-fraud claim was filed using your information, do you give us permission to deny and cancel it?
Steps you can take if you believe you are a victim of fraud:
- Go to the FTC identity theft website: www.identitytheft.gov for great resources on reporting
- Request your free credit reports via www.annualcreditreport.com nd review them for other fraudulent activities
- Go to atg.wa.gov/recovering-identity-theft-or-fraud for additional tips from the Washington State Attorney General