Over the past several days, the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office and other local law enforcement agencies have received reports of suspicious letters being received by area residents. The letters are sent by the “Iowa Workforce Development” for unemployment claims, and some may include correct information, such as the last four digits of your social security number, current employer, and current wages.
The letter will ask you to participate in a phone hearing to receive unemployment benefits and may include a warning of non-compliance of requirements for unemployment benefits. These letters are being received due to fraudulent unemployment claims, made on your behalf.
The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind everyone to be cautious of unsolicited letters or phone calls regarding personal information. You are also reminded to safeguard all of your personal information. It is recommended to engage in a credit monitoring service, either through your local bank or through trusted online services. A few trusted online services are Equifax, TransUnion, or Experian.
These scam attempts remain under investigation by the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office and investigators with the Iowa Workforce Development. If you receive a suspicious letter in relation to this scam, or have any further questions or information, please contact the case officer on these incidents, Deputy Jake Harmelink at 712-737-3307 or email at jacobh@siouxcounty.org
