References to crime or criminal activity often make people think of things like burglary, drug trafficking, homicide and rape. Certainly these are serious issues but they by no means comprise all forms of crime. New Jersey residents should be always aware of the threat of white collar crime as well. For many, this may even include being incorrectly accused of participation in fraud, embezzlement or other schemes.
A series of fraudulent unemployment claims discovered by the New Jersey Department of Labor included what was eventually found to be some honestly-made errors rather than all fraud. That is not to say that dishonest activity did not take place but it does serve as an example that what appears to be one thing at the outset is not always the case.
In sorting out what was inappropriate versus error, the state learned that at least 300,000 people attempted to claim roughly $450,000 million in unemployment dollars inappropriately. The discovery led the state to implement new measures to prevent future such actions. The success of the system has actually been identified by the U.S. Department of Labor and touted as an example that other states could learn from. Identity theft was among the most prevalent problems addressed. It is unknown if any arrests were made in conjunction with the case.
The world of identity theft, fraud and other white collar crimes can affect virtually anyone at any time. People accused of such actions may be best helped by an attorney who has experience in this area of law.
Source: Government Executive, “New Jersey Cracks Down on Unemployment Fraud,” Jake Grovum, July 29, 2014