Some police departments across Greater Cincinnati are now seeing a surge of identity theft reports linked to unemployment fraud.People said they're finding out something is wrong when they receive a tax form in the mail.Officials said there are steps you should take if you find one of those forms in your mailbox.It's a problem that is unfortunately becoming more common by the day.One police department we talked with said they had five new identity theft reports linked to unemployment fraud on Wednesday."Yeah, it's makes you mad," victim Al said.Al only wants to use his first name to protect his identity from any further harm but found himself filing a police report for identity theft last week.He got a 1099-G tax form in the mail for fraudulent unemployment payments but said he hasn't been unemployed at all.Al said he called the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and waited for more than an hour for help."They told me that they were going to put a flag on my account, as far as unemployment benefits go," he said.He also said he checked with the three credit bureaus and his bank to make sure there wasn't anything suspicious happening there.ODJFS said it has received 80,000 fraud reports online alone in two weeks.One police report from our area showed a woman received, "A 1099 from Job and Family Services for collecting $23,000 in unemployment."Another said a man told police there was a fraudulent claim for $16,000.ODJFS Director Kim Henderson said the last three months of 2020, there were fraudulent traditional unemployment overpayments worth $2.3 million.In just December, she said there were fraudulent pandemic unemployment assistance overpayments worth $330 million.She described a surge when it comes to the 1099-G forms, pointing out that in January 2021, 1.7 million forms were issued compared to about 200,000 forms in January 2020."After we receive a report of potential identity theft, we will process the report, issue applicable fraud determinations and if necessary, issue a corrected 1099 form to the IRS," Henderson said.Attorney General Dave Yost has asked congress to shield people in a scenario like Al's from paying taxes on the fraudulent funds, as more people catch on to the crime."I wanted to know who did it. I wanted to know how they did it. Who put the check in their hand or what address did it go to? And they couldn't help me," he said.ODJFS said if this happens to you, you should report it immediately.You can use a new online portal to address unemployment fraud by visiting unemployment.ohio.gov.You can also call the new ID Theft Hotline at 1-833-658-0394.Officials said you can file your taxes without the erroneous 1099-G form.They also said you should take steps to protect your identity.ODJFS recommends people take the following steps if you feel like you may be a fraud victim:Visiting the ODJFS unemployment website and click 'Report identity theft'Accessing the ODJFS fraud page at jfs.ohio.gov/fraud and clicking on the “Unemployment Insurance Claimant” button, which will take the victim to an online form to fill outCalling 1-800-686-1555 and pressing Option 1.Faxing information to 1-614-752-4808.Or sending ODJFS an email to [email protected] you are determined to be a victim of fraud:Follow all the steps above to alert ODJFSReview your credit report and place an initial fraud alert on your credit fileFile a police reportFile your taxes
Some police departments across Greater Cincinnati are now seeing a surge of identity theft reports linked to unemployment fraud.
People said they're finding out something is wrong when they receive a tax form in the mail.
Officials said there are steps you should take if you find one of those forms in your mailbox.
It's a problem that is unfortunately becoming more common by the day.
One police department we talked with said they had five new identity theft reports linked to unemployment fraud on Wednesday.
"Yeah, it's makes you mad," victim Al said.
Al only wants to use his first name to protect his identity from any further harm but found himself filing a police report for identity theft last week.
He got a 1099-G tax form in the mail for fraudulent unemployment payments but said he hasn't been unemployed at all.
Al said he called the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and waited for more than an hour for help.
"They told me that they were going to put a flag on my account, as far as unemployment benefits go," he said.
He also said he checked with the three credit bureaus and his bank to make sure there wasn't anything suspicious happening there.
ODJFS said it has received 80,000 fraud reports online alone in two weeks.
One police report from our area showed a woman received, "A 1099 from Job and Family Services for collecting $23,000 in unemployment."
Another said a man told police there was a fraudulent claim for $16,000.
ODJFS Director Kim Henderson said the last three months of 2020, there were fraudulent traditional unemployment overpayments worth $2.3 million.
In just December, she said there were fraudulent pandemic unemployment assistance overpayments worth $330 million.
She described a surge when it comes to the 1099-G forms, pointing out that in January 2021, 1.7 million forms were issued compared to about 200,000 forms in January 2020.
"After we receive a report of potential identity theft, we will process the report, issue applicable fraud determinations and if necessary, issue a corrected 1099 form to the IRS," Henderson said.
Attorney General Dave Yost has asked congress to shield people in a scenario like Al's from paying taxes on the fraudulent funds, as more people catch on to the crime.
"I wanted to know who did it. I wanted to know how they did it. Who put the check in their hand or what address did it go to? And they couldn't help me," he said.
ODJFS said if this happens to you, you should report it immediately.
You can use a new online portal to address unemployment fraud by visiting unemployment.ohio.gov.
You can also call the new ID Theft Hotline at 1-833-658-0394.
Officials said you can file your taxes without the erroneous 1099-G form.
They also said you should take steps to protect your identity.
ODJFS recommends people take the following steps if you feel like you may be a fraud victim:
- Visiting the ODJFS unemployment website and click 'Report identity theft'
- Accessing the ODJFS fraud page at jfs.ohio.gov/fraud [jfs.ohio.gov] and clicking on the “Unemployment Insurance Claimant” button, which will take the victim to an online form to fill out
- Calling 1-800-686-1555 and pressing Option 1.
- Faxing information to 1-614-752-4808.
- Or sending ODJFS an email to [email protected].
If you are determined to be a victim of fraud:
- Follow all the steps above to alert ODJFS
- Review your credit report and place an initial fraud alert on your credit file
- File a police report
- File your taxes
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