The Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs is advising residents and business owners to watch out for possible identity theft involving fraudulent unemployment or disability claims.
The California Economic Development Department (EDD) has reported an increase in complaints in which consumers have had an account created and/or a claim (e.g., Unemployment or Disability) filed using their name, when in fact they had no involvement with such a claim.
If you receive a letter from EDD that you did not initiate and/or believe that someone may have used your information to file an Unemployment or Disability claim without your approval, please file a report to:
State of California EDD Fraud Hotline
- (800) 229-6297
- edd.ca.gov/about_edd/fraud.htm
United States Federal Trade Commission
- (877) ID-THEFT or (877) 438-4338
- identitytheft.gov
For business owners:
If someone fraudulently uses the identity of your employee or a former employee and it is ultimately approved, it could result in a higher unemployment tax rate for your business.
Businesses can protect themselves by promptly and thoroughly reviewing any Notices of Unemployment Insurance Claim Filed received from the EDD and contesting inappropriate unemployment claims within the maximum 10-day timeframe to respond.
