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New Identity Verification Measures for Unemployment Claimants

Stop! Think Before You Click.

Help protect your unemployment benefit account by being aware of criminal fraud.

  • Check your account weekly.
  • Think twice before clicking on links in texts or emails.
  • Visit the official ODJFS unemployment website directly if you’re uncertain about a link.
  • ODJFS will NEVER ask you for your username or password.
  • Always create a unique password to protect yourself from unauthorized account access. Do not use the same password for multiple accounts.

ID Theft Hotline: 833-658-0394  

Cybercrime is on the rise. Criminals might send a link to a fake website, one that closely resembles an official Ohio website, via email or text message and try to trick you to log in to steal your information. Criminals will then use your stolen username and password to hijack your claim and steal your benefits on the real unemployment website.

How to protect your benefits

Protect your benefits by logging into your account each week to review your physical address, email address, and banking information. Please report any changes to us immediately by calling 1-833-658-0394. We will work with you to verify your identity and provide you with next steps to protect your identity, such as changing your Personal Identification Number (PIN) and reporting the theft to law enforcement.

Spoofed Spam Calls: They use caller ID to look like a trusted person or company, they ask for personal information or payment, and they may be unprofessional, demanding, or threatening. Just Hang Up.  

What to know

  • Remember that the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services will not contact you to ask for your username or password. If someone asks for your username or password it is likely a scam.
  • Never click on links that you receive through texts or emails unless it comes from a known, reliable, and expected source, and be careful what you download.
  • To check whether a request is legitimate, log into your unemployment account online at unemployment.ohio.gov to see if you received any correspondence. You may also call 1-877-644-6562 (1-877-OHIO-JOB) for automated information about your account or to speak with an agent.
  • Watch out for a fake or fraudulent email address, text, or website. Criminals use slight differences to trick your eye and gain your trust. Carefully examine the email address, URL, and general correspondence for spelling errors.

How we can help

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services is working closely with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and the FBI’s Cyber Crime Unit to shut down fraudulent activities and identify and apprehend criminals.

 

Helpful Resources