Reineke Warns Ohioans About Scam Unemployment Messages

COLUMBUS—State Senator Bill Reineke (R-Tiffin) today warned Ohioans of fake websites, texts and emails designed to steal personal and banking information. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) has identified several fraudulent websites mirroring the agency's official webpage. The fraudulent addresses are: unemployment-ohio-gov.com and ohio-gov.cn. "Ohio continues to battle unemployment fraud and scams looking to take benefits away from Ohioans who desperately need assistance," Reineke said. "I want to caution all Ohioans to be vigilant against these scams. Ignore all unidentified texts or emails and never click on suspicious hyperlinks in these messages." To avoid potential fraud Ohioans should:

• Ignore all unsolicited text messages and never click on hyperlinks in emails or text messages that look suspicious.
• Log in each week to your account and review personal information such as physical address, email address, and banking information.
• Remember that ODJFS will not contact you to ask for your username or password.

If individuals notice a change in their account information, they should:

• Report immediately by calling 833-658-0394. ODJFS will then work with you to verify your identity and provide you with next steps, such as changing your Personal Identification Number (PIN) and reporting the theft to law enforcement.

For more information about these fraudulent websites and more steps you can take to prevent identity theft, read the official release from ODJFS here.