The Pennsylvania State Police Troop M has seen a significant increase in the number of fraudulent unemployment cases from residents since June.

On July 7, troopers from the Bethlehem station, Fogelsville station and Dublin station investigated a total of 10 unemployment scams.

Unemployment scams are criminal acts done by imposters that file claims for unemployment benefits utilizing the name and personal information of victims who have not filed claims.

As a result, the unemployment payments are deposited into accounts the imposter controls or mailed to the victim’s residence and retrieved by the imposter.

Troopers are advising the public to watch out for suspicious vehicles in their neighborhood and report anyone searching in their mailboxes who is not authorized.

If you become a victim of an unemployment scam, it is important to do the following:

• Contact the Pennsylvania Fraud Hotline at 1-800-692–7469.

• File a report with the police within your jurisdiction.

• Start a recovery plan with the Federal Trade Commission by visiting www.identitytheft.gov.

For more information on the Pennsylvania State Police, visit psp.pa.gov.