State warns about scam aimed at stealing unemployment benefits

State officials are warning of a scam in which fraudsters use emails, texts and phone calls to try to steal unemployment benefits.

In an email issued Wednesday, Maryland State Police and the Maryland Department of Labor Unemployment Division said they are tracking and combating the schemes. They said unemployment insurance fraud is a challenge that federal and state agencies across the country are fighting.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Maryland Department of Labor has flagged nearly 1.8 million claimants, and 2.3 million total claims, as potentially fraudulent.

The latest scheme is to ask legitimate claimants to enter their user IDs and passwords onto fake websites, the news release states. Fraudsters then can use that data to steal unemployment benefits.

If you receive an email or text message that appears to be from the Maryland Department of Labor, do not click on any links in the correspondence.

According to the release, the unemployment division:

Does not provide assistance through text messages and will not send links asking a claimant to verify their account through text.

Will not request or require payment for assistance with unemployment insurance.

Will not provide assistance to claimants through direct message on social media.

The news release urges people not to provide sensitive information related to your Maryland unemployment insurance claim by email unless it is to an email with the "@maryland.gov" address.

Those who believe their information has been used to fraudulently file an unemployment insurance claim can contact the Maryland Department of Labor's Division of Unemployment Insurance by visiting MDunemployment.com or emailing ui.fraud@maryland.gov.

Suspected unemployment insurance fraud can also be reported to the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General Hotline by visiting the website or calling 800-347-3756.

Identity theft

If you believe you have been a victim of identity theft, the release advises you to:

Contact your local police department or Maryland State Police Barrack to file a police report.

File a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov.

The Maryland Department of Labor, the Maryland Attorney General's Office and the Federal Trade Commission have online resources to help prevent identity theft.

State officials also recommend that you review your account statements and order a credit report.

Under Maryland and federal law, you are entitled to two free credit reports from each of the credit reporting agencies each year. Call 877-322-8228 or visit www.annualcreditreport.com to access your report through the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act. You must contact each of the three credit reporting agencies individually to access your credit report under Maryland law:

Equifax: 800-685-1111

Experian: 888-397-3742

TransUnion: 888-909-8872