LANSING, Mich. — Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency officials have seen more than 10,000 possibly fraudulent claims over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
Agency officials said when an unemployment claim is made that a letter is sent through the Postal Service to confirm the identity of the person filing. Anyone who gets a letter but hasn’t filed a claim should report the fraudulent activity to the agency website.
“The holidays are a time when criminals see a ripe opportunity to file fraudulent unemployment benefit claims and this past Christmas and New Year’s season was no different,” Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity spokesperson Nick Assendelft said in a release.
Agency officials also warned employers to be on the lookout for false claims and urged them to review monetary determinations.
If any claim is found to be fraudulent, the agency said a second letter would be sent by mail stating the claim is not valid.
An Unemployment Insurance Fraud Response Team has charged 54 people with fraud since June 2020. Nine people have pleaded guilty or been convicted and three sentenced. Five Unemployment Insurance Agency employees or contractors were among those fraud charges.
“UIA will continue to be vigilant in its fight against fraud, with help from the public and employers as well as using the many resources at its disposal in a holistic approach to identify and stop fraudulent claims,” the release stated.
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