The Illinois Department of Employment Security has uncovered a nationwide fraud scheme impacting every state's federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program.
During a COVID-19 update briefing Wednesday, Governor JB Pritzker said anyone who has not filed an unemployment claim, but has received a debit card or an unemployment insurance letter in the mail has likely been a target of the fraud.
"Federal authorities have informed states that your personal identifying information may likely have been obtained in prior breaches of corporate or other databases like the massive Equifax breach."
Pritzker urges anyone who mistakenly received a debit card, don't activate it. He said anyone who may have been targeted by the fraud scheme, should contact I-D-E-S at 800-814-0513.
