Report unemployment identity fraud

• Claims filed in your name that you did not make
• Mail about an unemployment claim you never filed
• Payments or debit cards you did not expect
• A 1099-G for benefits you never received

1. 1

   Report it to the state where it happened

   The Department of Labor keeps contact details for every state unemployment agency. States must give people who suspect identity theft an accessible way to report it. That may be a dedicated phone line, an email address or an online portal.

2. 2

   Know the signs before you dismiss the mail

   Watch for a letter about a claim you did not file, or a request to verify your identity for benefits. An unexpected payment or debit card means the same thing.

3. 3

   Deal with the 1099-G

   Got a 1099-G for benefits you never received? The state issues a corrected one and updates the record with the IRS on your behalf.

4. 4

   Treat it as wider identity theft

   Whoever filed the claim had enough about you to do it. identitytheft.gov produces a recovery plan that covers the rest.

• The letter, debit card or 1099-G you received
• The state that issued it
• Your employer's details, if you are working

You may get no immediate confirmation, and timescales differ by state because each one investigates differently. The corrected 1099-G is the part that protects your tax position.