Newton Police Report Dozens Of Bogus Unemployment Claims

NEWTON, MA — Since May, Newton police have been responding to an uptick in the reports of fraudulent unemployment claims.

The department is getting between five and 10 reports per day of identity theft related to phony unemployment claims, according to Lt. Bruce Apotheker.

Fraud related to unemployment has exploded recently amid coronavirus job losses — so much that the FBI during the summer issued a bulletin warning about the scam.

If you learn you have been a victim of fraud, the FBI is asking that you fill out a form online so the Department of Unemployment Assistance's Program Integrity Unit can set to work to help, first by freezing the account associated with the report.

If any payments were made, they will not be recognized as income to you at the end of the calendar year, according to the FBI. They'll work to ensure the claim will not impact your ability to collect unemployment should you need to in the future and no charges will be assessed to your employer.

Got a tip? Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a press release you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how to post a press release, a column, event or opinion piece.