'Very organized' unemployment fraud attack could cost Ohio millions

State officials reveal details of a fraud investigation that suspended 276,000 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance accounts.

COULD ANUNEMPLOYMENT FRAUD ATTACK COSTOHIO HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OFDOLLARS?THAT'S WHAT FRAUDINVESTIGATORS ARE TRYING TODETERMINE FOR THE OHIODEPARTMENT OF JOB AND FAMILYSERVICES.INVESTIGATIVEREPORTER DAN MONK EXPLAINS.WCPO'S I-TEAM FIRST TOLD YOULAST WEEK THAT OHIO SUSPENDEDPANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITSBECAUSE OF A FRAUDINVESTIGATION.YESTERDAY, STATEOFFICIALS REVEALED THAT OHIOWAS HIT BY HACKERS WHO USEDSTOLEN IDENTITIES TO COLLECTIMPROPER PAYMENTS.ABOUT276,000 ACCOUNTS ARE UNDERREVIEW, SAYS.

BRUCE MADSON -ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ODJFS.HE THINKS 80 TO 90 PERCENT OFTHOSE ACCOUNTS WILL TURN OUTTO BE FRAUDULENT.24:23 "So,these are not small operators.These are large-scalefraudsters who can drain a lotof public dollars very quicklyso that necessitated a rapidresponse in order to try tosift through this before toomany additional dollars wentout the door."dollars went outthe door."MADSON SAYS IT COULDTAKE A FEW WEEKS TO DETERMINEHOW MUCH MONEY THE STATE LOSTTO FRAUD.

OTHER STATES THATFACED SIMILAR ATTACKS LOSTHUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OFDOLLARS.DAN MONK, WCPO 9I-TEAM.INDIANA SAYS IT IS ALSO SEEINGMORE FRAUD CONNECTED TOPANDEMIC ASSISTANCE CLAIMS.ITANNOUNCED TODAY THAT A SURGEOF INITIAL CLAIMS FORBENEFITS LAST MONTH WAS DUE INPART TO MORE FRAUD.

INDIANAOFFICIALS SAY THEY WITHHELDBENEFITS FOR SOME SUSPICIOUSCLAIMS...AND AREINVESTIGATING.