Kittanning Police Issue Warning About Increase In Unemployment Scams Targeting Residents
KITTANNING, Pa. (KDKA) -- Scammers are using people's identities for fraudulent unemployment benefits in one borough in Armstrong County.
The Kittanning Police Department wants to get the word out before more residents fall victim to these counterfeit claims. A source at the department told KDKA's Royce Jones that there have been about 20 recently reported cases of unemployment fraud.
In each of these scams, claims have been filed on behalf of residents who never applied. A police source told KDKA's Royce Jones that most of the cases contain a correct employer, personal information and Social Security number.
Borough manager Samuel Sulkosky said he knows of at least five cases where the fraudsters both posed as fake borough employees and impersonated real ones.
"There was actually documentation sent by the Department of Labor to our payroll company and they asked if these were legitimate and the payroll company asked me whether these were legitimate claims. And when I checked into them, they weren't," said Sulkosky.
According to Sulkosky, two victims came to the borough building on Thursday claiming they were duped.
KDKA's Royce Jones contacted the Department of Labor & Industry about the scam. A representative said if you receive unrequested unemployment paperwork or tax forms claiming you received benefits you don't know about, then someone scammed you.
Kittanning police said if you think somebody is filing fraudulent unemployment claims in your name, call law enforcement and report it to the state.
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