There are many types of identity theft. A few weeks ago I posted that someone had applied for unemployment benefits using my information. I still work at the company that I supposedly filed for unemployment from and they denied the claim but it seems as though Colorado granted all unemployment claims up front with the hopes of recovering that money at a later date if it turns out to be ‘not qualified’. Well folks, I just received a 1099-G from the state with the income that I did not receive to be included on my 2020 tax return.

I filed a fraud document initially, but clearly it wasn’t looked into. I followed the following next steps but its concerning because the IRS isn’t going to know that the document/income is fraud and now my tax return may not be processed correctly and timely.

Identity Theft

If you have received a 1099-G document from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment but did not file a claim for unemployment benefits, you may be a victim of identity theft. Unfortunately, fraudsters steal or purchase private information from illicit data brokers and use that information to file fraudulent unemployment claims. While we have a sophisticated multi-factor program in place to flag suspected fraud, no system is perfect.

Here’s what you should do if you’ve received a 1099-G document from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment but did not file a claim for unemployment benefits:

1. Report it to us using the Report Invalid 1099 form.
    
2. Contact the three consumer credit bureaus and put a fraud alert on your name and Social Security Number (SSN). Credit Bureau Contact Info:
   
   Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
   Experian: 1-888-397-3742
   TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289
    
3. File a “counter report” with your local police department to have a record on file.
    
4. Create a file where you can keep records of this identity theft in one place.

Reference: https://cdle.colorado.gov/tax-form-1099-g