NYS officials announce crackdown on unemployment insurance fraud

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — New York officials say they’re on track to find more than $110 million in stolen benefits this year.

The New York State Department of Labor discovered more than $11 million in stolen benefits in August alone using an upgraded fraud detection system. The system allows investigators to more efficiently review cases and streamlines records requests to employers in order to confirm dates of employment. If the system detects a fraudulent payment, the claimant has an opportunity to explain the discrepancy.

The state says benefits were paid almost exclusively to those working while collecting unemployment insurance.

NYSDOL says they are committed to ensuring fraudulent UI claims are prevented and corrected. To report UI fraud and learn more visit the Report Fraud page on the NYSDOL website.