Help! I applied for unemployment insurance. They just called me wanting information I can't give on

[shockey80]

the phone. I did not believe I was qualified for unemployment insurance at first, because I removed myself from work. My boss told me they added a new pandemic qualification.

I got on line and applied. Some of the questions were incoherent. One important question gave me five choices to choose from and none of them fit my situation.

Yesterday I got a brief e-mail saying I was approved. Information wise the e-mail was lame.

This morning, about 8:30, I get a call, a recording from Labor Dept saying hold for representative. A young women, a volunteer, answers and tells I must answer recorded questions as verification, which would include personnel information. I told her I could not do that over the phone because they called me. So I refused, she said I do not blame you.

I have no idea if this effect will me. The e-mail said I was approved. If they need more information they need to mail the questions to me.

Has anyone here faced a similar situation?

This is the first time in my life applying for unemployment insurance. I have been working for 43 years. I hated doing it.

[pnwest]

1. Can you call them back at a number

published online, and then give them the info?

[shockey80]

3. I asked, she said no. She was calling from her home.

[BGBD]

7. call the office.

call the office.

honestly, this sounds like a scam.

[Hav]

10. With appropriate phone software,

you can work remote or at home and people could still reach you through your official office phone number.
Hard to believe that workers in these kind of positions would have to rely on their private phones.
Similarly, you also cannot trust the number you see on the display.

[33taw]

2. Can you ask for a callback number? You can do reverse tracing of the number ahead of time.

[liberalmuse]

4. SCAM ALERT: This could be a scam.

You are being smart. Please do not give out your SSN or any other personal/banking information to someone who calls you, no matter how much they try to reassure you it's fine to do so. Social engineers are good at getting people to give them information they otherwise would not give out. Call the official unemployment number. There are a lot of scams out there, especially now with people filing unemployment claims other someone else's name. Don't trust email links, either. Go directly to your state's official unemployment site in order to conduct any business. Again, do not provide any personal information over the phone!

[PJMcK]

5. My wife's experience

When the Department of Labor representative called, they knew the last four digits of my wife's Social Security Number. They confirmed her birthdate and residence. That was it for identification. The rep didn't ask for any personal or banking information.

Try calling them back. Good luck!

[lettucebe]

6. I'd be the same -- no way I'm giving personal info over the phone

I have asked for a number so I could call them back, to be sure it's legit.

[shockey80]

8. It is impossible to contact the labor dept by phone. I have tried.

The recordings always direct you to the website. I am just going to wait and see what happens. Nothing else I can do. That's pretty much how everything works in America now.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

9. Scam, scam, scam, scam (sung to tune of monty python spam song) its just pure chance you

happened to get this. If 30%+ people are claiming unemployment, thats a lot of people - out of those Ill bet a good no. would not think to be suspicious of the call.

Clues: "hold for representative" = robo call. this is automated dialing and then if someone picks up you'll hear a lag before someone starts talking... or recording like you got.

You cant call back because she's working at home - really? That's VERY unprofessional. Even if she was she's still a state employee doing state business and ahoulD HAve been issued the equipment she needed to do her job. For future reference you could have asked her to send her request by mail, using the address that she SHOULD have.... that generally is how govt agencies do business anyway - send you the letter so there is an official record. The very fact she called and didnt send a letter saying there was info missing on your application is a red flag.

Email said you were approved - does that look legit? Find the contact info that you know to be correct and say you received this email saying you were approved then you got this strange call.

[Indykatie]

11. This is Likely a Scam To Obtain Personal Information - Be Cautious

I doubt Volunteers are staffing offices working on the UE Stimulus programs.

[LizBeth]

12. I had them call me because there was an error on original form. I didn't have a space between street

name and Drive. But I did have to give verification of ss# last four digits and address. Worked out fine. I get not giving the info, but I too have never done unemployment with decades working and so I asked lots of questions and she had the answers.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

13. Saw an article last weekend about exactly this - that the scamsters have indeed come out in force to

scam people.

That's all you unemployed folks need - not only out of a job, but scammed and their life savings taken from them.

The lowest of the low - if youre going to be a thief scam from people who can afford to lose it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

[LizBeth]

14. It was not a scam. Last four digits. Gave me info needed and asked lots of questions, and got it

approved the next day and employer sent in his information, received payment in two days.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

15. Oops, sorry I was replying to the original post nt

[LizBeth]

16. Been there, done that. Got it.

[coti]

17. Makes sense it actually could be a scam, given the numbers applying for unemployment now

Her response to you, "I don't blame you," would be an odd one for a scammer, though- they'll usually try more convincing than that and "hold on" to a potential victim. Scammers also tend to be men, though there are female scammers out there too.