State Senator Scott Bennett is warning residents not to fall victim to an unemployment debit card scam.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security announced Wednesday morning that several people who have not signed up for unemployment benefits have received unemployment acceptance letters and debit cards in the mail. IDES says personal information was likely stolen from other data breaches, such as the Equifax incident a few years ago.
IDES says if you receive an unemployment debit card that you did not sign up for, you need to follow these steps.
- Immediately call IDES at 800-814-0513 and when prompted:
- Select the English or Spanish language option
- Select option 1 for claimants
- Select option 5 to report identity theft
- Do not activate the debit card that was mailed to you.
- Have your credit report checked for possible suspicious activity and post a fraud alert.
“Scammers are attempting to take advantage of this uncertain situation and commit unemployment fraud,” Bennett said. “Ineligible residents who receive an unemployment debit card should report it immediately and make sure their personal information has not been compromised.”
