Financial crimes have been on the rise, especially in the area of identity theft involving the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES).  If your name has been used to file a false unemployment claim, it is extremely important to report the incident to IDES, in addition to filing a local police report.  By going to the IDES website, you can easily report this incident online to verify you have not applied for unemployment benefits.

File a report with the IDES

The Hoffman Estates Police Department has also begun taking online police reports for this type of identity theft.  If you are a Hoffman Estates resident or your place of employment is in Hoffman Estates, you may document the incident through an online reporting form.  A police report will be generated based on the information you provide.

File a Hoffman Estates Police Report

 If you prefer to speak with an officer, you may contact the police department directly at 847.781.2800 and an officer will gather your information and complete an incident report.

How do I know if I am a victim of unemployment insurance identity theft?

• You receive a debit card or an unemployment insurance letter (UI Finding) and has not filed a claim for benefits.
• You are notified by your employer that a claim for benefits has been filed when you have not been separated from employment.
• You attempt to file a claim online and one already exits.
• You receive IRS correspondence regarding unreported UI benefits.
• You receive notice of a State or Federal tax offset.

What steps should I take if I receive a debit card and did not file for unemployment insurance?

If you suspect a claim has been submitted using your information, and you have not applied for unemployment insurance benefits in Illinois, take steps as follows:
• DO NOT DELAY AND ACT QUICKLY
• Call the Benefit Payment Control Division at (800) 814-0513. Please Note: call volume is high due to an increase in reports of fraud, so please be patient in waiting for your scheduled call back.
• DO NOT activate the debit card that was mailed to you.
• DO NOT contact KeyBank.
• Destroy the card.
• Request your free credit reports via www.annualcreditreport.com and review them for other fraudulent activities.

What happens after I report the identity theft to IDES?

• In most instances of fraud, IDES’ integrity measures stop the unemployment claim and prevent payments from being made before hearing from you.
• You will not be held responsible for the fraudulent claim if the investigation finds that you were a victim of identity theft. That is why prompt reporting and not activating the card are critical steps in this process.

Other Resources

The Illinois Attorney General’s Identity Theft Hotline has several resources to help you, including trained advocates to guide you through the process: 1-866-999-5630; TTY: 1-877-844-5461.

You can also report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Report identity theft online or call the FTC at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or TTY 1-866-653-4261. The FTC operator will give you the next steps to take.