Info provided by Nicholas Beech, Fraud Manager Unemployment Insurance, Kansas Department of Labor

Website: www.ReportFraud.ks.gov

Call the Fraud Hotline at (785) 291-6059

A fraudulent claim that is created using you or your employee’s personal information, including Social Security Number and date of birth, indicates that personal information is exposed and there is risk of further financial harm. In such cases, we recommend the following steps:

1. Contact the Federal Trade Commission at www.identitytheft.gov.
2. Place a fraud alert on your credit record with one of the three credit bureaus:
   • Equifax.....1 (866) 349-5191
   • Experian.....1 (888) 397-3742
   • TransUnion.....1 (800) 680-7289
3. Contact your financial providers (banks, credit card companies, etc.) to flag irregular transactions.
4. Check your Social Security earnings statements online to make sure your reported wages are correct. You can do this with a free, personal my Social Security account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

Unemployment fraud is a felony. It is the willful misrepresentation of information to collect unemployment benefits. Each year, employers pay unemployment taxes which are deposited into the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. Unemployment benefits are paid out from this fund to workers who have lost their job through no fault of their own. Employers’ tax rates are affected when workers make claims against their account and the balance of the Trust Fund. KDOL wants to ensure unemployment benefits are not being diverted from the Trust Fund to those who are not eligible. Kansas law provides penalties to claimants and employers who commit fraud.