Westchester Residents Urged To Safeguard Personal Information: DA

WHITE PLAINS, NY — Increased incidents of identity theft related to fraudulent unemployment benefits has prompted Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah to urge county residents to be vigilant about safeguarding their personal information.

She said in a news release that ID thieves are obtaining personal information including names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and places of employment and are using that information to illegally apply for unemployment benefits, which have been enhanced for many recipients during the coronavirus pandemic.

The personal information is procured through the dark web —websites hidden to most internet users — or data breaches. It is also obtained through email and text phishing schemes, sometimes with messages that appear to be government agencies asking for confirmation of personal information.

Rocah said victims may not be aware of ID theft until they receive, via regular mail, paperwork from the state Department of Labor relating to an unemployment application they never made or a KeyBank debit card containing unemployment benefits.

The victims' employers may also receive notification from the labor department.

In some instances, multiple people from the same government agency, school district or other entity may have had their personal information compromised.

Rocah said if you receive a letter or other notification indicating your personal information has been used by someone else, it should be reported to your local police department or call the DA's Office hotline at 914-995-TIPS (8477).

Identity theft victims can also contact the Department of Labor at 888-598-2077 or online.

Victims of UI-related identity theft may also face tax implications, Rocah noted, because UI benefits are taxable income reported to the state and federal government and must be declared on personal income tax returns. Victims are advised to consult with their financial advisers or tax preparers to address this matter, and as appropriate they should also file an Internal Revenue Service form 14039 Identity Theft Affidavit and a New York State Department of Taxation and Finance form DTF-275 Identity Theft Declaration.

Individuals who believe they have been a victim of identity theft should also request a credit report to ensure there are no other unknown or unidentified uses of their credit. Federal law entitles each person to one free credit report per year from each credit reporting agency. To order a report, visit annualcreditreport.com.

You may thereafter place a fraud alert on your credit with one of the three credit reporting agencies

• Equifax: 800-525-6285
• Experian: 888-397-3742
• TransUnion: 800-680-7289