DETROIT – Scammers are not taking the day off on this Fourth of July.
Monday afternoon, Local 4 has a Help Me Hank scam alert that could affect millions of people who have collected unemployment in the state of Michigan.
It’s a new email scam, and millions in Michigan are being targeted. If you’ve collected unemployment, you may receive an email that appears to be from UIA asking for personal information. However, if you look closely, you may notice misspellings.
“If they’re saying something fishy about the email, the text message, even if it’s coming from someone you know, do not click on it,” said Laura Blankenship of Better Business Bureau. “If it’s coming from someone you don’t know, absolutely do not click on it and delete it right away.”
The emails are sent from high-tech thieves who have one goal: to get your personal info.
They want to steal your identity, so they may ask to verify your social security number or address.
The Director of the Unemployment Insurance Agency has been focused on fighting fraud as it is a massive problem. The scammers continue to find new tactics and tricks to get your attention; unfortunately, it works.
“We look to pursue where we see these bad actors,” said UIA Director Julia Dale. “When we’re working with our federal and state partners, we want to send a message that we are not going to tolerate the criminal activity.”
If you’re having a problem with your UIA account, you should contact UIA directly.
