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Unemployment Compensation Application Form

Reporting Fraudulent Unemployment Claims

PA Department of Labor and Industry

Fraudulent claims filed via identity theft are on the rise nationally in an unprecedented way. Here are some warning signs that a fraudulent unemployment claim was filed involving you or your company:

  • You receive paperwork/notice for an employee who never worked for you. We hear employers say: “I don’t know why this person would have entered me as their employer. I never heard of this person.” The answer is: Because it probably wasn’t a person. It was probably a robot filing multiple claims at a time and choosing random Pennsylvania employers. Mark “Never worked here” on the form and send it back to us per the enclosed instructions.
  • You receive paperwork/notice for an employee who is fully employed by you. Talk to the employee to ask if he/she opened a claim. Most times, they have no idea this is happening and are unaware that their identity is being used by a fraudster. If they did not file the unemployment claim, instruct the employee to report the fraud to us on our website. We recently updated our fraud reporting links:
    Unemployment Compensation Fraud
    Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) fraud
    These forms can also be completed over the phone by calling the PA UC Fraud Hotline at 800-692-7469.
  • You receive paperwork for yourself. Your identity was stolen and you should report the fraud to us using the appropriate method as mentioned, above.

If you do receive paperwork, it does not necessarily mean that payments have or will be made on that claim. Regardless, it is important for you to report it to us as soon as possible. In the end, you will not be charged for benefits paid to fraudsters through identity theft. If payments are not stopped upfront, then there will be an overpayment set up when the situation is investigated. As always, overpayments credit your account and you are not charged for benefits which were overpaid.

Additional information on identity theft can be found in our document library. Click here to view the related document.