What You Need To Know About Unemployment Insurance Fraud

February 16, 2024

Woman on laptop researches the types of unemployment insurance fraud

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Unemployment insurance fraud takes place when an individual conceals or misrepresents some information to get or increase unemployment insurance payments.

Most often, unemployment insurance frauds imply making a false statement about one’s work and earnings. Sometimes the cases can also include work refusals, unreported travel, check forgeries, identity theft, inability to work, incarceration, perjury, non-availability for work, incorrect claims for dependent allowance, etc.

Here’s everything you need to know about unemployment insurance fraud.

Types Of Unemployment Insurance Fraud

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Failing to report your employment. This includes cash jobs, commission, self-employment, 1099, or temporary.
Making a false statement or misrepresenting information to increase or receive benefits (e.g., not reporting school attendance when receiving benefits).
Not reporting your work refusals.
Fabricating job searches or not conducting a solid work search.
Not reporting a work separation.
Using another individual’s identity (social security number and/or name) to work and file for insurance payments.
Failing to report being incapable and not available to work (e.g., sick or injured, abroad, etc.) and receiving benefits.
Not reporting other types of reimbursement (e.g., workers’ compensation payments).
Helping somebody file a fraudulent insurance claim.

What Happens If You Commit Unemployment Insurance Fraud?

Couple on laptop tries to avoid unemployment insurance fraud

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If you commit unemployment insurance fraud intentionally or accidentally (not knowing the regulations, etc.), you have to pay back all the benefits that you received plus a penalty (50% of that sum).

In most cases, a person is going to be disqualified from getting unemployment benefits in the future (minimum 6 weeks for every week of receiving benefits). There can also be imprisonment and fines included depending on the sum of the received fraudulent benefits.

Unemployment fraud punishment may differ between U.S. states. The Department of Unemployment Insurance in Arizona, for example, has different periods of disqualification from collecting unemployment insurance benefits than in Colorado. You should check your state’s law to get the full picture.

Repaying Overpayments

Woman on laptop pays back her unemployment insurance overpayment

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There can also be overpayments, which you must pay back. Some of the typical cases of overpayments include:

You report some information wrongly when you file for benefits, and that information is corrected after.
The Unemployment Insurance Program processes your claim erroneously.
Your income was wrongly reported by your employer.

There can be a repayment plan organized for you if you cannot repay the whole sum at once.

How Can Unemployment Insurance Fraud Be Detected?

Man on phone reports a case of unemployment insurance fraud

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There are a lot of ways in which unemployment insurance fraud is identified. Here are some of them:

Public tips by internet, mail, or phone
New employer’s hire reports
Cross-matches with some government records
Quality control audits
Claim center referrals
Other investigative efforts

These days, unemployment insurance fraud seldom goes unpunished. We hope this article has informed you about unemployment insurance fraud and helps you avoid any potential mistakes while you’re unemployed.

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

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