With millions upon millions out of work in the US, here come the scammers claiming victims' unemployment money using stolen info

With millions upon millions out of work in the US, here come the scammers claiming victims' unemployment money using stolen info

With US unemployment threatening to reach its highest level since the Great Depression, hackers around the globe are using stolen personal information to file fraudulent benefits claims and steal millions of dollars destined for jobless Americans.


The Secret Service confirmed to The Register it has received reports of criminal gangs outside the States obtaining personal records and login credentials harvested from other hacked or leaky databases, and using that info to make unemployment claims on behalf of Americans, then pocketing the payouts via money mules.


It has not been reported where the pilfered personal data enabling this came from, though stolen credentials are not particularly hard to find online, and the personal info needed to file a claim would be virtually identical to that of a fraudulent tax return – another common form of online government fraud.


"The United States Secret Service Global Investigative Op ..

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