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Unemployment Benefits ID Fraud
If you are not claiming unemployment benefits and have information that a claim was filed using your identity, you should report the ID fraud claim on TWC’s online portal. See Unemployment Benefits Identity Fraud for more information.
The U.S. Department of Labor has issued an unemployment insurance phishing fraud alert
. Alert! Be aware of unemployment benefit scams and fraudulent phone calls. Do not give your personally identifiable information like your date of birth or your Social Security number to anyone you are not sure of.
How We Use Your Social Security Number
We use your Social Security Number (SSN) to verify your income and work history by checking for wages reported by your recent employers. If there is a mismatch between what you told us when you applied for benefits and the wages reported by employers, that difference could be due to a simple mistake in what you told us, what we entered into our system, or what your employer reported. It is also possible that the difference is due to someone else using your SSN, which is sometimes called "identity theft."
It is important to correct wage history errors because if you receive benefits based on incorrect wages or wages that are not yours, you must repay any overpayment.
Verify Your Social Security Number & Wages
After you apply for benefits, we send you documents that include your name, the last four digits of your SSN, and wage records from your last employer(s). Check all documents carefully to ensure that we have the right name, SSN and wages on your claim.
An error could be due to a simple mistake such as a typing error or it could be due to someone else using your SSN.
Common Typing Errors
Typing errors can occur when any of the following occur:
- An employer gives TWC an incorrect or incomplete SSN
- An employer reports wages from another worker to your SSN
- A clerk types your SSN incorrectly while entering your wages
- You incorrectly type your SSN when applying for benefits online
Correcting Mistakes
Check the wages we show for you on your Statement of Wages and Potential Benefit Amounts and call a TWC Tele-Center at 800-939-6631 immediately if there are mistakes such as:
- Incorrect Social Security Number
- Missing wages
- Wrong amount of wages
- Wages that are not yours
Correct Employer’s Mistakes
If an employer reports wages under your SSN that do not belong to you, ask the employer to submit a correction to TWC. Wage corrections must come from employers.
How to Report Identity Theft to Social Security Administration
Your Social Security Number opens doors to so much of your personal and financial information that criminals try to steal it to avoid paying Social Security taxes, work in the United States, steal money from your bank account or engage in other illegal activities.
If you believe someone has stolen your identity or Social Security Number, contact the Social Security Administration (SSA):
- Visit http://www.ssa.gov and type "identity theft" in the search box
- Call: 800-269-0271
Fax: 410-597-0118 - Social Security Fraud Hotline
PO Box 17785
Baltimore, MD 21235
To verify the accuracy of the earnings reported on your SSN or to request a copy of your Social Security Statement, you may call SSA at 800-772-1213.
For more information, view the Social Security Administration’s Identity Theft and Your Social Security Number.
Other Resources on Identity Theft
To learn more about what you should do if you believe someone has stolen your identity, visit the following agencies’ websites:
- Report fraud: https://www.identitytheft.gov/
- Texas Office of Attorney General, ID Theft
- ID Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 25080
Call: 877-ID-THEFT or 877-438-4338
TDD: 866-653-4261 - Texas Department of Public Safety
