OLEAN, N.Y. — 2 On Your Side is still hearing from people who are having problems getting their unemployment benefits. On Thursday, we talked with Megan Davis from Olean who lost her job in December.
Before losing her job, Davis found out someone had committed unemployment fraud using her name.
"At my previous employer, I had seen an unemployment benefit claim come in the mail, and I alerted authorities immediately," Davis said.
Davis still has not been able to collect her unemployment benefits.
"And now, eight weeks out from losing my job, I have not had any success navigating the unemployment claims line because of the fraud," Davis said.
So when she filed for unemployment and wasn't getting her benefits, Davis contacted her New York State Senator for help who got her in touch with the New York State Department of Labor.
"They were able to have the Labor Department call me which was amazing, but only to find out that I had been frauded in New Jersey as well," Davis said. "So, it was suggested to me that in order for me to file a New York State unemployment benefits claim that I had to close out New Jersey first."
Which has proved to be a challenge, especially since the New Jersey claim was made using her former name.
"So, there's two different claims in two different states under different names, but it's just me, and now I'm trying to prove my identity to the state. I've sent them the required documents," Davis explained.
Davis says she has never lived or worked in the State of New Jersey.
2 On Your Side reached out to the New Jersey Department of Labor to get answers for Davis on Wednesday, and while they got our request for information, we did not get a response by our deadline on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the New York State DOL told us that fraud cases are not happening because of a breach of the New York State DOL's systems and that the Office of Special Investigations works with fraud victims to help them file their valid claims.
"I am wondering how I'm going to pay for my life right now and the bills that are due. That doesn't stop, and I think what really hurts is that a criminal was able to fraudulently able to type things in online, probably with ease, and then here I am eight weeks out trying to get my benefits," Davis said.
"The impact of this is changing everything. My whole life. You know, losing a job for anyone is a very difficult transition, and then when we are up against it with this pandemic and the fraud, I understand our system is overwhelmed, but where does it stop? Also, if it's in New Jersey, is it going to pop-up in another state?"
If you think you've been the victim of unemployment fraud, you can report it to the NYS DOL. Last week, the NYS DOL reported that it prevented more than $5.5 billion in unemployment benefits from being stolen by fraudsters during the pandemic. The NYS DOL reports that more than 425,000 fraudulent claims were filed and were not paid out.
Davis is going to keep us posted about her situation and we will let you know if we hear anything back from the State of New Jersey Department of Labor.