Hackers are stealing MS unemployment checks during COVID-19. How to report fraud
Computer hackers are stealing unemployment benefits intended for those out of work because of COVID-19, Gov. Tate Reeves said during his daily news conference Monday.
The Mississippi Department of Employment Security is asking victims of unemployment fraud or identify theft to notify the agency as soon as possible at safe@mdes.ms.gov. Victims should also contact their local law enforcement agency.
“Unemployment systems across the country are being attacked with false claims,” Reeves said. “Mississippi’s certainly has been.
“These are often sophisticated networks of criminal hackers who will take your information, apply for unemployment and then reap your benefits.”
Mike Hurst, U.S. attorney for Mississippi’s Southern District, said violators will be prosecuted, as they were when fraud occurred after Hurricane Katrina.
Jackie Turner, executive director of MDES, said the agency has systems in place to detect fraud.
“But even so,” she said, “in the rush to pay people quickly, some of those fraudsters have gotten through.”
When fraud is verified, those payments are stopped, she said.
MDES is working with federal and state law enforcement agencies to combat the problem.
She also said MDES is working on a more robust system that should be online in a week that will allow employers to report when they have called employees back to work so that unemployment benefits to those workers can be stopped.
This story was originally published June 15, 2020 at 3:17 PM.
