Good morning! It’s Mike Holfeld with another edition of Make ends Meet.
I keep hearing from viewers frustrated with the DEO’s new security sign-up.
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One viewer wrote, “Am I the only person who is angry at the extreme security conditions the DEO has set to access my account? I do not mind providing my driver’s license and Social Security numbers, but this ID.ME requires access to my biometrics data that they then reserve for 7.5 years.”
Well, Chris Fonde, a veteran tech guy featured on Make Ends Meet a few months ago offered a positive take on the system.
Chris says, “I was successfully able to set up my multi-factor authentication with Florida DEO, and after verifying my identity initially, it then took me to the familiar login screen that we have been used to. Why am I telling you all this? Just in case this new process frustrates users of the Florida DEO website. For existing users, they’re going to think that they have an account already, BUT they may actually have to create a new account, which is the multi-factor authentication process.”
📧 Check your mail and read it!
It looks like evidence of unemployment identity theft is showing up in the mail.
Our own News 6 Assistant News Director discovered his name was used to collect benefits in the Midwest when a letter from Ohio’s unemployment division was delivered to his home. He is a Cleveland baseball fan, but he’s never lived in Ohio.
We are still collecting information from Florida residents receiving unemployment notices from other states including Ohio, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, California and Arizona.
Let me know if you have received a notice for benefits you never received.
🙋 What do I do now?
Someone who has not been a recipient of unemployment from Ohio or any state should not be concerned about having to repay benefits but you still need to report it.
The U.S. Department of Labor recommends that victims of unemployment fraud notify not only their state unemployment office but also the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud.
💳 Don’t forget about your credit
Anyone who suspects they may be a victim of identity theft should take appropriate action to protect themselves. Here are some resources to consider:
- Review your credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com
- Federal Trade Commission Resources at identitytheft.gov
- Place a free one-year fraud alert on your credit reports by contacting any one of the three nationwide credit reporting companies online or through their toll-free numbers. The bureau you contact must tell the other two.
- Equifax: 800-525-6285
- Experian: 888-397-3742
- Trans Union: 800-680-7289
Union members’ benefits mystery
On Monday, we reported 75% of the Orlando ironworkers Union Local 808 are missing thousands in state and federal unemployment benefits. We are working with the DEO to make sure all members get the benefits they have earned.
DEO Communications Director Emilie Oglesby tells me the department has seen “an influx” in requests for help.
She wrote, “Please continue to send those that need assistance, and we will make sure they get in the hands of those that can help. We’re happy to help!”
Amazon invests in employees
Amazon is expanding its commitment to provide education and skills training opportunities to its U.S. employees with a total investment of $1.2 billion by 2025.
Amazon will now fund full college tuition, as well as high school diplomas, GEDs, and English as a Second Language (ESL) proficiency certifications for its frontline employees through its popular Career Choice program.
If you have an unemployment benefits issue email your claimant id number and a screenshot of your account to: makeendsmeet@wkmg.com or text the words Make Ends Meet to 407-676-7428