October 15, 2021
Unemployment insurance fraud has been increasing since the start of the pandemic. Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a Public Service Announcement to help the public identify false unemployment websites.
Tips on How to Protect Yourself:
- Verify the spelling of web addresses, websites, and email addresses to identify imitations.
- Look for a padlock icon next to the URL in the address bar to verify that the website you visit has a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate.
- Ensure operating systems and applications are updated to the most current versions.
- Update anti-malware and anti-virus software and conduct regular network scans.
- Disable or remove unneeded software applications.
- Use strong two-factor authentication if possible, via biometrics, hardware tokens, or authentication apps.
- Do not open emails, attachments, or links from unknown individuals.
- Do not communicate with unsolicited text message/email senders by verifying the email header information.
You can read the full PSA here: https://www.ic3.gov/Media/Y2021/PSA211015