Thieves stealing identities to get unemployment checks

The FBI says they’re getting more reports of identity theft fraud lately.

Thieves are using it as a means to get ahold of unemployment checks.

Teachers will have to come back.In Lee County, Rob Manch Fox 4in your corner.IDENTITY THEFT ON THE RISE.AND THE F-B-I SAYS THIEVES AREUSING IT TO GET AHOLD OF YOURUNEMPLOYMENT CHECKS.FOX 4’S RACHEL LOYD SHARES WHATYOU CAN DO TO PROTECT YOURSELF.RACHEL?:29 - :35:41 - :48(LLINTRO)CYBERSECURITY EXPERTS SAY AVOIDPOSTING TOO MUCH PERSONALINFORMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.HACKERS CAN STEAL YOUR IDENTITYEVEN IF YOU DON’T GIVE THEM YOURSOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER.THE FBI SHARING A WARNINGAFTERNEW REPORTS OF PEOPLE STEALINGIDENTITIES TO FILE FAKEUNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS. NETWORKSECURITY ENGINEER EVAN LUTZ SAYSTHAT SPIKED BECAUSE OF THEPANDEMIC.Cybersecurity incidents haveactually been on the risegeneral before COVID happened.

Ithink that accelerated thingspast its expected increase.THE FBI SAYS FRAUD CLAIMS THISYEAR IS PROJECTED TO SURPALAST YEAR’S NUMBERS.Well last year, Florida alonehad 43-million dollars worth ofidentity theft fraud.

And rightnow, through July of this year,we’re up to close to $34 millionalreadSO I ASKED LUTZ WHAT ARE WAYS TOPROTECT YOURSELFSTARTING WITSOCIAL MEDIA.If going to your Facebook pageallows somebody to see youraddress, your hometown, yourhigh school, the first car thatyou ownedthat information mightbe enough to be able to go inand answer security questions toreset an account password.

Thenall of sudden, you’ve lostcontrol of an account that’s inyour name.HE SAYS THAT’S HOW HACKERS CANACCESS OTHER ACCOUNTS TO THENLEARN YOUR SOCIAL SECURITYNUMBERAND USE THAT TO FILETHOSE FALSE UNEMPLOYMENTINSURANCE CLAIMS. HE SAYSTHEY’RE ALSO LOOKING FOR WAYS TOGET INTO YOUR BANKACCOUNTESPECIALLY IF YOU’RESPENDING YOUR TIME AT HOMESHOPPING ONLINE.Make sure on your web browser inthe URL, you see the littlgreen lock or the lock icon,depending on what browser you’reusing.

And your URL shouldalways be https:// This meansit’s a secured connection.(LLTAG)THE FBI SAYS CHECK YOUR BANKACCOUNTS REGULARLY AND R