Date: April 16, 2021

Media Contact: Cisco Gamez Phone: 512-463-8556

Receiving a Letter for Benefits You Never Requested Is Indication of Identity Theft and Should be Reported Immediately

Austin – The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is cautioning Texans about the dangers of identity theft and the importance of quickly responding to unemployment insurance (UI) benefits letters. Individuals who never applied for benefits but receive letters from TWC saying they did are most likely the targets of identity theft fraud and should report it immediately.

Unemployment benefits identity (ID) theft occurs when an imposter uses another person’s personal information, like their name and Social Security number, to file a claim for unemployment benefits. At no time has TWC’s systems been breached or hacked. Individuals who are the targets of ID theft have usually had their personal information exposed somewhere other than TWC.

If you receive a letter indicating that you have been approved for benefits for which you did not apply, you should report the ID theft claim on TWC’s online fraud portal here: https://mft.twc.state.tx.us/form/UIfraudENG They should not file an appeal, simply report within the portal.

The online portal provides a secure method for reporting fraud, including ID theft. Under the “type of submission” drop-down menu, select “Report Suspected Fraud,” “Did not file the UI Claim,” or “Did not file the UI claim but now need to,” as appropriate for your situation. Provide your name, Social Security number, and contact information. You should also upload your statement regarding the fraudulent claim, copies of any claim documents you may have received from TWC, along with a copy of your driver license, which TWC will use to verify your identity. The portal accepts PDF, BMP, GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG or TIFF files. Submit the documents only once.

Individuals who report suspected ID theft to TWC do not always receive a call, email, or letter in response to the information provided, nonetheless, they can be assured that their claim is handled quickly. TWC will only contact you if we need clarification. 

TWC recommends using the secure online portal to report any suspected ID theft claim. However, if you cannot use the UI Fraud Submission portal, send an email to TWC.fraud@twc.state.tx.us or leave a message on the TWC Fraud Hotline at 800-252-3642. Include your full name, Social Security number, address, phone number, and a description of the information you have regarding the ID theft claim.

All Texans should take steps to secure your identity online by practicing Internet security best practices. Treat your TWC account and all accounts like you would your bank account. The Texas Workforce Commission will investigate every unemployment benefit claim to confirm identity and to lock accounts that are fraudulent.

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The Texas Workforce Commission is a state agency dedicated to helping Texas employers, workers and communities prosper economically. For details on TWC and the services it offers in coordination with its network of local workforce development boards, call 512-463-8942 or visit www.texasworkforce.org. To receive notifications about TWC programs and services subscribe to our email updates.