Sheriff to aid identity fraud victims who need to file for unemployment

Sedgwick County residents who were victims of identity fraud and need to apply for unemployment benefits will soon have an extra resource.

Starting Monday, and if you have been told by the Kansas Department of Labor that your identity was used to file for unemployment benefits, you can go to the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office at 141 W. Elm to start the process to “restore victim’s identification,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

Residents will need to bring one or two forms of ID, depending on what they bring. A U.S. passport, for example, is the only identification needed under one form of ID. A driver’s license would require an additional identification, such as your social security card. A list of required documents can be found on page 3 of bit.ly/3fO5rAi.

“Once the claimant has produced the proper identification documents to the Records Section, they will be asked to fill out a form; (SCSO) will verify their identification and then send the form to KDOL,” the sheriff’s office said. “The process will allow the victim to have their identity reinstated in the KDOL system. The victim will be eligible for any KDOL benefits the victim may have/will apply for in the future.”

The sheriff’s office has partnered with the Kansas Department of Labor to help residents through the process.

Identity fraud cases soared nationwide in 2020 amid the pandemic. Kansas had the highest rate of reported identity theft attempts that year. Year-over-year reported identity theft cases in Kansas increased about 1,802%.

This story was originally published June 4, 2021 at 3:03 PM.