The Connecticut Department of Labor’s Integrity Unit is on the front lines of protecting the Unemployment Trust Fund and ensuring that the agency pays out unemployment benefits properly.

The Unemployment Trust Fund is paid for by Connecticut employers. Their tax dollars ensure that unemployment benefits are there when workers need them. If you suspect unemployment fraud or if you are a victim of identity theft, please let us know right away so we can help protect your unemployment benefits and the Trust Fund.

Criminals have sophisticated ways to steal your information—by text, using social media, through email, and by breaching retail and commercial systems that have personal identifiers like your birth date, Social Security Number, and other details. Many people don’t realize they are a victim of ID theft until they start getting notices about accounts being set up in their name that they did not apply for; in some cases, that notification may be from the Connecticut Department of Labor in the form of a monetary determination letter or a 1099 tax form.

When criminals file for unemployment benefits using a stolen identity, it can take time to unravel what happened. Many identity theft protection programs only flag issues for their customers if the issue is related to credit and banking.  An individual who has an identity protection service will not be notified if their identity is used to claim unemployment benefits because (1) this system is separate from the banking system, and (2) UI information is highly confidential under state and federal law; therefore states will not share their UI data with credit agencies. Here’s what we know and some tips to help if it happens to you.

Personal information is available to criminals—they purchase it on the dark web, obtain it through retail and commercial breaches, and get you to reveal it through text, phone, social media, and email phishing.

Have you ever received one of those ‘fun’ surveys on social media that will reveal your personality type if you answer a few questions about your favorite color, first pet, or childhood best friend?  These can be scams designed to get you to reveal the answers to common security questions. Don’t participate in these no matter where they originated.

If you get a spam text, report it to your carrier. Never click on any links in a spam text. Forward the message to 7726 (SPAM). This works for all major mobile carriers.

CTDOL will never: 

• Call you and ask you for your account username or password.
• Do individual unemployment claims work over text or text you about a problem with your account.
• Use social media for claims work. We never ask for identifying information, photos, or documents through social media. Our social media platforms are for information only.

Beware of: 

• Text and email scams. Do not click on any links or attachments. Check URLs carefully to ensure an exact match with CTDOL web resources. If you have a question, always navigate to your unemployment account through ReEmployCT or call the Consumer Contact Center.  If you get a scam text, report it to your carrier. Forward it to 7726 (SPAM). This works for all major mobile companies.
• Social media scams. If someone offers to help you with your unemployment claim, do not accept. CTDOL UI staff follow strict standards in safeguarding your personal information, and only CTDOL UI staff have access to your claims information. The application for unemployment benefits contains personal identifiers; if someone other than CTDOL UI staff helps you with the application, they have your information.

Here are some examples of phishing and fraud texts we've seen: 

Not a CTDOL URL

CTDOL has ‘ct.gov’ extensions, not ‘ct-gov.com’

Cyber security experts recommend regular account maintenance to maintain the integrity and security of your personal information. The information available on the dark web is only as good as it is current. Update passwords and usernames regularly where possible. Don't reuse passwords or share them with anyone.

Anything unsolicited is suspicious. If you didn’t ask for the information, independently verify it before you click on links or respond.

Best practices include:

• Use different passwords for your social media, banking, email, and other accounts.
• Change your passwords regularly.
• Use strong passwords—upper and lowercase letters, symbols, possibly a short phrase in lieu of a single word, and stay away from dictionary words.
• Use two-factor authentication to access your accounts whenever possible.
• Monitor your accounts—if you had an email breach, other accounts may also be compromised.
• If you receive a message via text or email and it seems suspicious, do not reply to the message; instead, independently search out the contact information for the organization so you can confirm the communication.
• Check credit card fraud protection services. Many of them will monitor the dark web as part of standard identity theft protection.

Trust your instincts. If something seems wrong, contact CTDOL to find out if what you are receiving is a valid communication from us. 

CTDOL’s Integrity Unit can assist if someone has submitted an unemployment application in your name. Submit the ID Theft Report Form immediately.

If you suspect that someone is using your Social Security Number for work purposes, contact the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213 to report the problem. They will review your earnings with you to ensure they are correct. You can also review earnings posted to your social security statement for workers 18 and older.

Opt-in to the IRS' Identity Protection PIN program. Through this program, the IRS will issue you a 6-digit IP PIN. The IRS will then use this pin to verify your identity and keep scammers from using your identity to file illegitimate tax returns.

Additionally:

• The US Department of Justice National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) has an ID theft complaint form.
• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). You can also call the FTC at 877-ID-THEFT.