5pm Unemployment Fraud Claims Package 04.06.2021

THE GOVERNOR SAYS UNEMPLOYMENT FRAUD DURING THE PANDEMIC IS SURGING.

Fighting unemployment fraud during the pandemic..which the governor says is surging.

Abc 36's monica harkins has two examples from business owners who say scammers tried to pull a fast one on them.

That's our top story at five.

David neville, business owner : " who the hell is trying to scam me?"

It's thoughts like this...that has some kentucky business owners on edge.

"charles booe: it's just terrible" rebecca ruth chocolates owner charles booe says in the last week he's received three notices from the state of people trying to claim unemployment through his business....people he says who've never worked there and he doesn't know....still he's not surprised.

"booe: with everything being done remotely it opens up a lot of opportunity for identity theft.

So, i'm not terribly surprised no actually," but he was suprised to see someone claimed to be him... "booe: the first notice i got was in my home that i had filed for unemployment.

News to me."

Meanwhile...david neville works in the farming and agriculture industry and he too received a notice from someone he's never met trying to claim unemployment.

"neville: i got the claim i thought well that's really odd.

And like most people, i think i thought well this doesn't pertain to me, right, because i know nobody was working for me in 2020 in that business.

And so i started throwing away and and i thought better."

Neville and booe say..as of now...the unemployment insurance office is hard to reach... if it all... to resolve these claims....a familiar complaint of countless people dealing with what the state admits is an antiquated system.

"neville: this is no disrespectful tone towards state employees, but if they ain't got it fixed, they ain't going to in a year."

Monday governor beshear announced an unemployment insurance fraud detection and prevention task force to stop the fraud.

And, both business owners hope that it will speed up communication.

Booe: " we're in the dark, we don't know what's happening with these claims, and we're not getting responses in real time so i would just say getting responses would be the thing that really needs to happen," the state also says it has updated its website protections and made it easier to access fraud claims. in lexington, monica harkins abc 36