Someone claimed unemployment in your name in Puerto Rico: what to do

Almost nobody finds out in time, which is why the signs matter

Unemployment identity fraud works like this: someone uses your name, your Social Security number and your date of birth to file an unemployment claim, and collects the money into another account. You applied for nothing. Often you are not even unemployed.

The U.S. Department of Labor says most victims find out when something arrives in the mail, a letter from an unemployment agency, or a 1099-G tax form for benefits they never requested or received.

There is a different variant they call claim hijacking: the person is legitimately collecting unemployment, and suddenly the payments stop because someone got into the account and changed the bank account number or the address.

• You get government mail about an unemployment claim you did not file; even from a state where you have never lived or worked.
• You get a 1099-G for unemployment benefits you did not expect and did not receive, or for more than you received.
• You are working and your employer tells you they received a request for information about an unemployment claim in your name.
• You are collecting unemployment and the payments go somewhere else without your authorizing the change.

Where to report it in Puerto Rico

The federal rule is that you report it in the jurisdiction where the fraud happened. If the claim was filed in Puerto Rico, it goes to the Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources. If a letter came from another state, report it there too, even if you have never lived there.

The U.S. Department of Labor keeps a directory of every jurisdiction and states outright that it verified every link and phone number on that page. The Puerto Rico entry points to the state Department of Labor's reporting portal.

The Puerto Rico Department of Labor also takes reports by email at denunciasdesempleo@trabajo.pr.gov and by phone at 787-754-5353.

The U.S. Department of Labor itself warns: never send personal information or documents to unverified sites, or in response to requests arriving through social media, email or text. Never click links from an unknown sender or from anyone claiming to be an unemployment agency. Go to the official site yourself.

What happens after you report it

Do not expect immediate confirmation. The U.S. Department of Labor is clear that response time varies by jurisdiction and that you may not get an acknowledgment when you submit the report.

Each jurisdiction has different requirements for opening an investigation. Some ask for additional documentation, a police report or a sworn affidavit. When you report, follow the instructions they give you exactly, because those decide whether the case is opened.

The 1099-G: what people get wrong

This is where people most often go wrong, because instinct says "I will wait until this is fixed before filing my taxes". The U.S. Department of Labor says exactly the opposite.

If you received a 1099-G for benefits you did not collect, the agency will issue you a corrected 1099-G and will update the record with the IRS on your behalf. But that does not stop you.

• When you file your return, include ONLY the income you actually received.
• Do not wait for the corrected 1099-G to file.
• Do not wait for the investigation to conclude to file.
• Do not report the incorrect 1099-G income on your return.
• If you already filed, do not file an amended return, the IRS issues guidance on the next steps.

Whoever has your data for this has it for everything else

An unemployment claim in your name means someone has your name, your Social Security number and your date of birth. That same set opens credit accounts. This is why the federal procedure does not end at the report.

By law you are entitled to a free copy of your credit report every 12 months from each of the three nationwide bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) plus a free report each week from each bureau. Get them at AnnualCreditReport.com or by calling 877-322-8228.

If the report shows transactions, accounts or credit inquiries you do not recognize, report it at IdentityTheft.gov, the federal government's one-stop resource for identity theft. And consider freezing your credit: the U.S. Department of Labor calls it the best way to prevent new accounts being opened in your name.

Beyond the jurisdiction report, unemployment fraud that occurred after March 2020 is reported to the U.S. Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud, which notifies the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General, the primary agency responsible for investigating unemployment fraud. That does not replace the jurisdiction report: both are required.