A recent scam targets those who have not applied for unemployment benefits.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning residents to be cautious if you receive a 1099-G tax form for unemployment benefits when you did not apply for unemployment.
The tax form reports unemployment compensation when filing your tax returns.
If you receive the form and have not applied for unemployment benefits, you are instructed to notify the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services immediately. The scam is a form of identity theft, with scammers targeting your identity.
Residents are instructed to go to www.unemploymenthelp.ohio.gov and complete the online form.
The BBB also recommends that residents who are affected by this scam to visit www.annualcreditreport.com to receive a credit report and to also place a one-year fraud alert on your credit reports by contacting one of the three nationwide credit reporting companies.
The credit reporting companies that you can contact are:
TransUnion - 800-680-7289
Experian - 888-397-3742
Equifax - 800-525-6285
You can also report any identity theft claims to the Ohio Attorney General by visiting www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/identitytheft and/or the Federal Trade Commission at www.identitytheft.gov.
You can also contact the Better Business Bureau of West Central Ohio by calling 419-223-7010.
