On Aug. 6 the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics announced news some may find surprising.

Employment rose in July.

According to a news release available on the bureau’s website bls.gov, “nonfarm payroll employment rose by 943,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate declined by a 0.5 percentage point to 5.4 percent.”

Leisure and hospitality, professional and business services and local government education arenas saw “notable job gains,” however, levels before the pandemic are not yet met nor surpassed.

It could cautiously be said incidents of jobs are starting to rise.

Unfortunately, the same could be said about incidents of unemployment scams.

In recent weeks, news releases from Pennsylvania State Police, Troop M, Fogelsville, and the Salisbury Police Department have listed numerous complaints concerning fraudulent unemployment claims and scams.

For example, in the July 28 edition of the Salisbury Press, Salisbury police announced receiving 31 reports of people fraudulently applying for unemployment benefits by using personal information of others.

State troopers have taken reports of fraud from residents in Lower Macungie Township, and Upper Milford and Lower Milford townships.

Some residents have been notified of the use of their identities by their employers when claims are received and subsequently rejected by bosses.

In July, an Upper Milford Township resident reported receiving a debit card for unemployment benefits for which he did not apply, while a Lower Macungie Township resident reportedly received a check for unemployment benefits for which she had not applied.

Another Lower Macungie Township resident received a $676 check and a debit card in her name, also in July, according to Pennsylvania State Police, Troop M, Fogelsville.

In Upper Milford Township, a couple who own a fuel business received paperwork from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry concerning an application for unemployment benefits.

The investigating trooper notes in the accompanying description, “It was determined the complainant and her husband had their identities stolen to apply for unemployment benefits.”

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry offers a website for those who learn others have used their personal information to apply.

Topics include how to return checks and debit cards for which the recipient did not apply, procedures for reporting someone using another person’s personal information and identity to apply for unemployment benefits and how employers can report fraudulent claims.

In the incident in Lower Macungie Township, in which the township resident received a check and debit card, Pennsylvania State Police, Troop M, Fogelsville, officials recommended reporting the incident to Pennsylvania’s Office of the Attorney General, the Federal Trade Commission, Social Security Administration and consumer credit reporting companies such as Experian™, Equifax™ or TransUnion®.

Salisbury police “encourage those who have fallen victim to such fraud to report the incident so proper reporting can be maintained.”

Contact Pennsylvania State Police, Troop M, Fogelsville at the nonemergency number, 610-395-1438.

Check your local listings for the nonemergency phone numbers for your local law enforcement agency to report it should your identity be compromised.

Fraud perpetrators allegedly use personal information stolen in data breaches to apply for unemployment benefits, according to Pennsylvania officials.

“It’s frustrating that thousands of data breaches that occurred outside of L&I - and outside of the control of consumers who often had no choice but to give companies their personal data - are now resulting in widespread unemployment fraud attempts.

“We strongly urge everyone to remain vigilant about fraud and to notify authorities of any suspected fraud activity,” Department of Labor and Industry Secretary Jennifer Berrier commented in a news release posted to the Pennsylvania government website in late July.

A scam, broadly defined as a dishonest scheme, can take many forms.

April Peterson

editorial assistant

East Penn Press

Salisbury Press