VEC Warns of Fraudulent E-Mail and Phone Scam

RICHMOND – The Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) is issuing this fraud alert to warn citizens of reports that individuals are being targeted across the country with scam e-mails and telephone calls seeking to gain access to their personal identifiable information (PII) for unemployment insurance.  The fake e-mails and telephone calls give the appearance of coming from the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) or the VEC and ask customers to click on links in the e-mail or to press a button to talk with a representative to answer questions on the phone. The VEC will never ask for all nine digits of a social security number to identify a claimant.

The agency encourages anyone who has received a fraudulent call and has given any PII to a potential fraudster to contact the Federal Trade Commission to report the potential identity theft at https://www.identitytheft.gov/?utm_source=takeaction.  The VEC also suggests filing a police report with your local police department.

Customers are reminded to protect their PII and to never share your password.  For more information on this scam, please visit our website at vec.virginia.gov.