DETROIT – Someone is hacking into the Michigan unemployment office and filing claims for people who aren’t unemployed, Local 4′s Rod Meloni has learned.
The victims didn’t know about these fraudulent claims until they saw unemployment income that they didn’t receive included on their tax forms, officials said.
Recommended Videos
Those residents are being pushed up into a higher tax bracket as a result, state officials said.
If this has happened to you and you’d like to share your story, please email rodm@wdiv.com.
Michigan officials have seen an increase in fraudulent activities surrounding unemployment as thousands of residents try to get benefits because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
RELATED: Law clinic at University of Michigan helps residents resolve unemployment claims
On Thursday, three people -- from Detroit, Shelby Township and Harper Woods -- were charged in connection with dozens of fraudulent unemployment claims that cost the state hundreds of thousands of dollars.
While the extra $300 unemployment payments for people affected by the pandemic have started to roll in, many residents are still struggling to make successful claims.