Unemployment fraud can happen in various ways, such as not reporting income while you’re receiving unemployment benefits, giving false or incomplete information to KDOL, or not disclosing that you’ve left a job during the year you’re receiving benefits.
How to report Kansas unemployment fraud
You can report suspected fraud online, or by mail, fax, or email. Need help? Call the KDOL for more information.
Online
To report fraud online, visit fraudreport.dol.ks.gov and follow the on-screen instructions to submit your information.
You can report Kansas unemployment fraud by emailing [email protected].
Fax, Mail or Upload
You can also download the Fraud Reporting Form. This form can be printed, filled out, and then submitted via fax, mail, or website upload.
Fax: (785) 296-5779
Upload: Click here to upload your completed fraud reporting form.
Mail: You can mail your fraud form to the following address:
Benefit Payment Control
401 SW Topeka Blvd.
Topeka, KS 66603-3182
What is Kansas unemployment fraud?
Unemployment fraud in Kansas is becoming more common, often fueled by identity theft and those trying to cheat the UI eligibility requirements. Scammers are applying for unemployment using personal information from people who haven’t lost their jobs. These victims usually don’t know a claim has been made until they get a notice from the Kansas Department of Labor or their employer is asked to confirm their job status.
Scammers usually get their hands on this personal information through events like data breaches involving credit cards. It’s important to note that the KDOL’s unemployment system hasn’t been compromised – this fraud is happening because of external data breaches.
Getting a notice from KDOL doesn’t necessarily mean unemployment benefits were paid out in your name. It just shows that someone filed a claim using your information.
Unemployment fraud is a serious crime. Employers pay into the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund through unemployment taxes. This fund is where legitimate unemployment benefits come from for workers who have lost jobs without any fault on their part. Fraudulent claims can affect both this fund and the tax rates for employers.
Kansas law enforces penalties for both claimants and employers involved in fraud. KDOL is committed to ensuring that unemployment benefits go only to those who are actually eligible, protecting the Trust Fund and employers’ contributions.
If you engage in unemployment fraud, you’ll lose access to Kansas unemployment insurance benefits for five years.
After filing a fraud report
After you file a Fraud Report, you’ll get an email confirmation. This email confirms that KDOL will look into the fraudulent unemployment claim. If they find any suspicious activity, they will shut down the fraudulent account and pass the case to law enforcement, even if you don’t hear back from them.
If someone makes a fraudulent unemployment claim with your or your employee’s personal information, like a Social Security Number or date of birth, your financial security is at risk. Here’s what you should do:
- Reach out to the Federal Trade Commission.
- Put a fraud alert on your credit record. Contact one of these credit bureaus to do so:
- Equifax: (866) 349-5191
- Experian: (888) 397-3742
- TransUnion: (800) 680-7289
- Alert your financial institutions, like banks and credit card companies, to watch for unusual transactions.
- Verify your Social Security earnings statements online to make sure your wages match what’s reported. You can do this through a free my Social Security account.
Overpayments
An overpayment happens when someone receives Kansas unemployment insurance benefits they aren’t entitled to. This could be because they underreported wages, didn’t accurately describe why they left their job, or didn’t perform work search activities while collecting benefits. When this happens, the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) sends out a Notice of Determination. An overpayment may be due to an honest mistake, or it might be intentional unemployment fraud.
Kansas law mandates that all overpaid unemployment benefits must be returned to KDOL. Recovery efforts typically start after all appeals are settled. You can make repayments online, by phone, or by mail. If you can’t pay the full balance right away, you can set up a payment plan.
If you don’t agree with the Overpayment Notice, you have 16 days from the postmark date to file an appeal. You must submit your appeal in writing, either by mail or fax. Your appeal should only focus on whether the overpayment amount is correct. You can use the Kansas unemployment calculator to estimate the correct payment amount.
For information about your overpayment balance, email [email protected] with your full name and the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you don’t make payments on time, it may result in a collection action against you.