Phishing scam targets New York medical professionals
Callers pose as state education officials using convincing spoofing technology
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The New York State Education Department, whose Albany, N.Y., headquarters is pictured, is warning licensed medical professionals of a phishing scam targeting them. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)SKIP DICKSTEIN
ALBANY - The state Education Department is warning licensed medical professionals in New York about a scam involving telephone calls from people posing as department employees or law enforcement officials.
The callers, who target licensed professionals like nurses, physicians and pharmacists, ask for the intended victim s Social Security number and an immediate bond payment, claiming that the professional’s license has been suspended and payment is required to reverse the suspension and avoid further charges.
Unemployment fraud cases surge as victims say getting help is tough
Labor commissioner said criminals using pandemic as cover to defraud unemployment system
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State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon, pictured here at a legislative hearing in February 2019, said criminals are using the global pandemic as cover to defraud the unemployment system. (Phoebe Sheehan/Times Union)Phoebe Sheehan/Albany Times UnionShow MoreShow Less
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FILE - In this March 18, 2020 file photo, visitors to the Department of Labor are turned away at the door by personnel due to closures over coronavirus concerns in New York. A record-high number of people applied for unemployment benefits last week as layoffs engulfed the United States in the face of a near-total economic shutdown caused by the coronavirus. The surge in weekly applications for benefits far exceeded the previous record set in 1982. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)(AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)Show MoreShow
Area has seen an uptick in false claims since start of year
Unemployment fraud is on the rise in Aspen and local police are warning residents to be on the lookout for suspicious activity that might indicate identity theft.
Aspen police said in a news release Tuesday the fraud has been increasing since the summer, but hit a peak this month when between Jan. 1 and Jan. 15 the department received 16 complaints about false claims.
“According to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, the increase in reports of unemployment insurance fraud is likely connected to the expiration of CARES Act programs,” the release states.