Police Warn Of ID Theft, Unemployment Fraud In North Haven

NORTH HAVEN, CT — North Haven Police are advising residents of a recent increase in reports of identity theft involving unemployment fraud.

“If you receive a letter in the mail from the Department of Labor regarding unemployment benefits which you did not file for, contact your local police and file a police report to document it,” police wrote in a post on Facebook. “You also should advise your employer as well (they will receive a letter also).”

Read more from the police department below:

Submit the CTDOL ID Theft Report Form immediately.

File a police report with your local police department. Obtain a copy of the report that you can provide to creditors and credit agencies.

Change passwords on your email, banking, and other personal accounts.

Make a list of credit card companies, banks, and other financial institutions where you do business. Tell them you are a victim of identity theft, and ask them to put a fraud alert on your account.

Get a copy of your credit report and dispute any fraudulent transactions. Check that all the accounts that are open are yours.

You can request credit reports online from the 3 major credit reporting agencies:

Equifax: 800-349-9960 or freeze your credit online

Experian: 888-397-3742 or freeze your credit online

TransUnion: 888-909-8872 or freeze your credit online

Place a credit freeze with each of the 3 major credit reporting agencies by calling the agencies or freezing your credit online.

Place a fraud alert on your credit file. You can do this by contacting just one of the credit agencies to add an alert with all three agencies.

Fraud incidents like this can be very frustrating to deal with, especially if suspects actually receive benefits on your behalf. With a quick response and closely monitoring your credit, you can mitigate the hassle and inconvenience this may cause.

Visit the Connecticut Department of Labor’s website here for the ID Theft Report Form.