With the onset of the pandemic, Oregon saw a surge in unemployment fraud cases, and now, months later, many of these cases are resurfacing with unclaimed funds. KGW.com reports that scammers took advantage of the chaos caused by the pandemic to file false unemployment claims, resulting in millions of dollars being stolen from the state’s unemployment system.
The Oregon Employment Department has been trying to address these fraudulent claims, but the sheer volume of cases has made it difficult for them to keep up. As a result, many legitimate claims have been delayed or denied while fraudulent claims continue to go unnoticed.
One particular case highlighted by KGW.com involved a woman who received a debit card from the Oregon Employment Department with $6,000 in fraudulent unemployment benefits. Despite reporting the fraud to the authorities, the woman has not been able to access the funds, leaving her in a difficult financial situation.
The Oregon Employment Department has urged anyone who receives a debit card with unemployment benefits they did not apply for to report it immediately. They have also advised individuals to be vigilant about protecting their personal information to prevent further cases of fraud.
As the state continues to grapple with the economic fallout of the pandemic, the issue of unemployment fraud remains a pressing concern. With millions of dollars at stake, it is crucial for authorities to crack down on these fraudulent claims and ensure that legitimate claimants receive the financial assistance they are entitled to.
Source
Photo credit news.google.com
