The U.S. Department of Labor has launched a new website to help victims of unemployment identity theft.
The agency unveiled the new website (en español) Monday to educate the public about the growing problem of unemployment identity theft and provide reporting guidance for citizens in every state. Kentucky residents who wish to report UI identity theft are advised to complete the form found on the Kentucky Career Center website.
Amy Cubbage, general counsel for Gov. Andy Beshear, said fraud related to the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program is at epidemic levels across the country. Like workforce agencies in other states, the Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance has seen the number of fraudulent claims skyrocket in recent months.
“We have put new measures in place to try to sort through those claims so that we are not fully overwhelmed and we can work on the claims of actual, honest-to-goodness Kentuckians who need their benefits,” Ms. Cubbage said. State unemployment agencies nationwide have seen a dramatic uptick in the number of fraudulent claims as Congress continued appropriating additional funds to assist struggling workers affected by the pandemic.3