Slashdot Mirror


Identity Thieves Drain Unemployment Benefit Funds

Makarand writes "According to a News.com.com article, the defrauding of state government unemployment benefit programs is the most underpublicized identity theft crime and the states are not doing much about it. Identity thieves are using stolen social security numbers to file false unemployment claims and collecting benefits because the states have no systems in place to deter fraud. In fact, it is easier to convert stolen identity data into money by filing false unemployment claims than going after the credit card companies." From the article: "File a false unemployment claim and you can receive $400 per week for 26 weeks. Do it for 100 Social Security numbers and you've made a quick $1.04 million. It's tough to make crime pay much better than that."

3 of 496 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Article Text by halltk1983 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    cowboyneal's advances on taco's wife

    now that is a worthwile use of my tax dollars

    --
    Watch for Penguins, they eat Apples and throw rocks at Windows.
  2. Re:Wait a minute... by LiquidRaptor · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    No, but the UI Benefits line sure is. I'm still pissed that I put over 10k into UI, however I was limited to getting 3k out. I wish there was a way to opt out of the whole UI thing.

  3. 1337 p0s7 by Crizzam · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I am looking for someone who knows how to hack social security databases. Please post your script. ;)