Protect yourself from unemployment fraud Page Article How To Protect Yourself From Unemployment FraudCreate an account at www.ssa.gov (Social Security Administration), where you can review your earnings statement. Look for errors or discrepancies that might indicate someone reporting fraudulent income. Never provide personally identifiable information (PII) - such as your birthdate, Social Security number, or mailing address — to an unknown source via email, text message, phone call, or website. Be vigilant about not clicking links or downloading attachments in emails from unfamiliar senders. Beware of fake unemployment benefit websites - Fraudsters are creating websites mimicking unemployment benefit websites, including state workforce agency (SWA) websites, for the purpose of unlawfully capturing consumers’ personal information. To lure consumers to these fake websites, fraudsters send spam text messages and emails purporting to be from an SWA and containing a link. The fake websites are designed to trick consumers into thinking they are applying for unemployment benefits and disclosing personally identifiable information and other sensitive data. That information can then be used by fraudsters to commit identity theft.Get familiar with common methods used by scammers to obtain PII by reviewing these security tips. Monitor your credit card and bank accounts regularly for fraudulent activity, and report unauthorized transactions immediately. Continue to check your credit reports at annualcreditreport.com. You can order a free report from each of the three credit reporting companies once a year.Employers are often the first line of defense against unemployment fraud. Employers should:Respond quickly to state notices that its employees have filed for unemployment claims, especially if the names on the notices are not employees;Be alert to misuse of the IRS-issued Employer Identification Number that fraudsters may use to file jobless claims;File a Form 14039-BPDF, Business Identity Theft Affidavit, if the company’s EIN is being used to generate fraudulent unemployment benefit claims.Write to the IRS to close out the business tax account if the company is going out of business; this will help curtail the misuse of dormant EINs.