Texas has paid $691 million in suspicious unemployment claims Identity thieves stealing workers vital benefits FOX 26 Consumer Reporter Heather Sullivan has some smart sense on what you can do to protect your information. HOUSTON - Unemployment fraud continues to grow like wildfire across Texas and the U.S. as identity thieves are stealing workers' much needed benefits. The Texas Workforce Commission says it has paid out $691 million in suspected fraudulent claims since the pandemic began. While that's only 1.5% of claims, it shows that hundreds of thousands of Texans' identities have been stolen. If you receive a letter from TWC saying you applied for benefits when you didn't, don't throw it away. You need to act fast.