Alert: Unemployment benefits claim fraud
Type
Identity theft may occur via phishing emails, texts, phone calls or by unknowingly entering personally identifiable information on a fraudulent website.
Subject
Your personal information has been used to file a false unemployment benefit claim
Content
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment benefit claims have risen greatly. Fraudsters are taking advantage by using stolen identities to submit false unemployment claims. Here is what you need to know:
What You Should Look For
- You receive communications regarding unemployment insurance forms when you have not applied for unemployment benefits
- You notice fees involved in filing or qualifying for unemployment insurance
- There are unauthorized transactions on your bank or credit card statements related to unemployment benefits
- You encounter fake websites and social media pages mimicking those of government agencies with URLs that are not correct
- You receive unsolicited inquiries (phone calls, emails, text messages, etc.) related to unemployment benefits
What You Should Do If Affected
- Change your Elon passwords used for email and OnTrack
- Change your passwords on any sites where your social security number (SSN) might be stored (mobile apps, shopping sites, banking websites, credit card bureaus, etc.)
- Check the privacy settings on your personal mobile devices
- Contact the North Carolina Department of Employment Services to report the fraud — view the website for more details
Steps Elon University is Taking to Help Protect Your Elon Account
- Frequent mandatory password resets
- Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) using Duo Security, which adds an extra layer of security for user verification when logging into systems and applications
- Ongoing updates to information security awareness training, alerts resources and tips found on the Information Security website