How to check if someone filed unemployment under my name in Washington ESD

Thanks! I tried creating a SAW account and it says my SSN is already associated with an account. This is definitely fraud then. What's the fraud reporting process like?

You'll need to file a fraud report online and also call their fraud hotline. Keep all documentation - that letter is important evidence. They'll investigate and reverse any payments made fraudulently.

6 weeks?! Did this affect your credit or anything else while they were investigating?

No credit issues for me, but I did have to notify my employer and provide documentation that I never filed. Also had to freeze my credit just to be safe since they had enough info to file the claim.

Good point about the police report. Should I file that first or contact Washington ESD first?

I'd contact Washington ESD first to stop any ongoing payments, then file the police report and provide that number to ESD.

Oh no, I didn't think about other states. How would I even check all of them?

Start with states where you've lived or worked recently. Most have online account creation systems where you can check if your SSN is already in use. It's tedious but worth checking the major ones.

The IRS thing is huge - I got a 1099-G for unemployment I never received and had to file an identity theft affidavit with my taxes.

I had success using claimyr.com to get through to Washington ESD when I couldn't reach them directly. They have a service that helps you connect with agents and there's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Might be worth trying for something this urgent.

Thanks! I'll check that out. I need to reach someone today if possible since this is really stressing me out.

Let me know how that works out - I'm having the same problem getting through to them.

Good advice. I've already taken photos of the letter. Should I also document my current employment to prove I wasn't eligible for benefits?

Yes! Pay stubs, employment verification letter from HR, anything showing continuous employment during the time period they claim you were unemployed.

That's terrifying. I did use an online tax service last year. How did she find out where they got her info from?

She never found out for sure, but she got notifications about data breaches from a couple companies she'd used. The timing lined up with when the fraudulent claim was filed.

The letter does mention direct deposit but doesn't show the full account number. I'll call my bank anyway just to be safe.

Smart move. Ask them to put a fraud alert on your accounts too while you're dealing with this.

Several weeks?! Did they stop the payments immediately when you reported it?

They said they'd put a hold on the account but couldn't guarantee payments would stop immediately. The system doesn't work that fast apparently.

That's exactly why I used that claimyr service someone mentioned earlier - I needed to actually talk to a human to make sure they understood the urgency.

Oh wow, I hadn't thought of that. My refund is usually direct deposited - would they be able to intercept that?

They can, especially if the fraudulent claim shows as an overpayment that needs to be recovered. Another reason to get ahead of this quickly.

I've been thinking about doing that. Is it really effective against this type of unemployment fraud though?

It won't stop unemployment fraud specifically since they don't typically check credit to file claims, but it prevents them from opening credit accounts if they have your info.

Good point! I'll email HR today to give them a heads up. Should I provide them with documentation of the fraud report?

Yes, give them copies of everything so they're prepared if Washington ESD contacts them for verification.

That's reassuring to hear. Do you know if they prosecute the people who do this or just reverse the payments?

They can refer cases for prosecution, especially if it's part of a larger fraud scheme. But their main focus is stopping the payments and protecting legitimate claimants.

Are those services worth the cost? I've been hesitant because there are so many different ones.

After dealing with identity theft, I think they're worth it. Some credit card companies offer basic monitoring for free too, so check with your bank first.

That's awesome! How quickly were you able to get connected? I'm still trying to reach them directly.

Took about 20 minutes total to get connected to an actual agent who could help with fraud cases. Worth every penny considering how urgent this is.

Will do! This whole experience has definitely made me more aware of how vulnerable our personal information is.

Unfortunately it's becoming more common. The good news is that Washington ESD is getting better at detecting and handling these cases quickly.