Court filing

Fraud Alert: Fraudulent State Workforce Agency Websites and Phishing Links (NUIFTF, 2021)

Summary

A public alert released March 4, 2021 by the Department of Justice's National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force warning that fraudsters are creating websites that mimic government unemployment insurance benefit sites, including state workforce agency websites. It says these sites trick people into disclosing personally identifiable information that is often used for identity theft, and that fraudsters also send spam texts and emails with links claiming to come from state agencies. The alert advises people never to click such links unless from a known and verified source, and to report suspicious messages to the National Center for Disaster Fraud.

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Filed March 4, 2021 in DOL OIG Pandemic Fraud; one of 3 filings from this case.

Record facts

Court	DOL Office of Inspector General / National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force (NUIFTF)
Filed	2021-03-04

Cite this document

“Fraud Alert: Fraudulent State Workforce Agency Websites and Phishing Links (NUIFTF, 2021).” DOL Office of Inspector General / National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force (NUIFTF), filed 2021-03-04. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/court-filings/dol-oig-pandemic-fraud/2021-03-04-fraud-alert/, SHA-256 787f12c12614de31128d94accc39b18a414bd82b4b79b0fbb1eb75a3bd450db5.

Full text

Fraudulent Websites/Links and Phishing
Public Release

March 4, 2021

The Department of Justice’s National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force (NUIFTF) is issuing
this alert to warn the public about fraudsters who are creating websites that mimic government,
unemployment insurance (UI) benefit websites, including state workforce agency (SWA) websites.
Individuals who wish to file for UI benefits are lured to these fraudulent websites. These websites
trick people into disclosing personally identifiable information and other sensitive data. Fraudsters
often use this information to commit identity theft.

Fraudsters are also sending spam text messages and emails with links purporting to be from SWAs.
Individuals should never click links in text messages or emails claiming to be from an SWA offering the
opportunity to apply for UI benefits, unless it is from a known and verified source. Instead, always go
to the official SWA website and navigate to your SWA’s UI application page. This information can be
found at:
https://www.careeronestop.org/localhelp/unemploymentbenefits/unemployment-benefits.aspx

If you receive a text message or email claiming to be from an SWA and containing a link or other
contact information, please report the communication to the National Center for Disaster Fraud by
calling (866) 720-5721 or visiting www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud.

If you believe you may have entered information into a fraudulent website, resources on how to
protect your information can be found at www.identitytheft.gov.

To find out more about UI fraud and the NUIFTF visit https://www.justice.gov/file/1319301/download.

Individuals with information about this scheme or other UI fraud should call
(202) 693-6999 or (800) 347-3756, or go to https://www.oig.dol.gov/hotline.htm.

U.S. Department of Justice
National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force

File and source

File: ALERT_DOL-OIG-NUIFTF_fraudulent-swa-websites_2021-03-04.pdf
Size: 587,626 bytes
SHA-256: 787f12c12614de31128d94accc39b18a414bd82b4b79b0fbb1eb75a3bd450db5
Our copy: ALERT_DOL-OIG-NUIFTF_fraudulent-swa-websites_2021-03-04.pdf
Original: www.oig.dol.gov