LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Governor Asa Hutchinson is warning Arkansans about potential unemployment fraud during the coronavirus pandemic.
The governor says he was a victim of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) fraud. He says he received approval for unemployment, but he did not apply.
Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston says there are 27,000 pandemic unemployment claims and 10,000 unemployment assistance claims on hold for potential fraud at this time. He says continued unemployment claims in Arkansas are down to 90,000.
Those who applied will receive notices on how to verify the validity of their claims.
If you knowingly collect benefits based on false or inaccurate information that you intentionally provided when you filed your claim, you are committing fraud.
To report fraud:
- Report to the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services (ADWS)
- Email: ADWS.InternalAudit@arkansas.gov
- Call: 501-682-1058
- Website: www.DWS.arkansas.gov
- File a police report
- Be sure to get a copy of the report and provide it to ADWS
According to ADWS, criminal enterprises using stolen personal information from earlier national data breaches have been attempting to file fraudulent unemployment claims.