Security News > 2021 > August > FTC warns of phishing scams over unemployment benefits
Scammers are now targeting people who have filed for unemployment insurance through a phishing campaign designed to capture sensitive information.
In a warning posted on Wednesday, the FTC warned of a new series of deceptive text messages and emails that lead you to websites spoofing your state's workforce agency.
The messages try to convince you to click on a link to "Make necessary corrections" to your unemployment insurance claim, "Verify" your personal information, or "Reactivate" your UI benefits account.
The resulting website looks like one for an actual workforce agency, which is available in every state in the U.S. to provide help for job seekers, employers, and those looking for unemployment benefits.
The scammers who successfully obtain such data can use it to file fraudulent unemployment benefits as well as conduct other types of identity theft.
To protect yourself from this type of scam, the FTC stresses that state agencies do not send emails or messages seeking personal information.