As two consumer data privacy bills wind their way through the statehouse, a law passed three years ago is giving Colorado a sense of what happens when private companies, government entities or nonprofit organizations get hacked and consumer data is exposed. Nearly 200 companies or organizations have reported data breaches and notified 1.6 million Colorado […]
ID theft
Posted inBusiness, Economy, News
International fraud rings with “local nexus” are attacking Colorado’s unemployment system, investigators suspect
The incessant attacks on Colorado’s unemployment system likely by local and international fraudsters hasn’t slowed and state labor officials have had it. The state Department of Labor and Employment joined forces with the Attorney General’s Office on Thursday to fight the fraudulent claims that overwhelmed the state last year, caused months-long delays for many on […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, News
Colorado unemployment office plans to use biometric ID verification to battle fraud
A new identity verification system using biometrics is being installed by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment to address the monthslong issues with pandemic unemployment fraud. The service, called ID.me, is used — or will be used — by 27 other state unemployment departments to make sure people filing for unemployment are who they […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, Economy, News
Victims reported unemployment fraud to the Colorado Department of Labor. The state didn’t stop the claims.
Guy Mendt grew alarmed when he checked his mailbox on Monday. Two 1099 tax forms had arrived from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment letting him know he and his wife owed taxes on about $7,200 of unemployment benefits. The Mendts, both retired, found themselves fighting unemployment fraud. Again. The Windsor couple thought they […]
Posted inBusiness, News, Technology
Smartphone and registration?: Colorado state troopers will now ask for your digital driver’s license
Colorado State Patrol troopers began accepting digital driver’s licenses as proof of official ID during traffic stops this week after a pilot program that resulted in officers spending less time on the side of the road, which in turn, increased their personal safety. The program has been in the works for more than a year, […]
Posted inBusiness, News, Technology
Spreadsheet snafu exposes private data of 30,000 Colorado state employees
The personal data of the state’s 30,000 employees was inadvertently exposed earlier this month when a master spreadsheet was shared with benefits administrators at Colorado higher education institutions. After learning of the information breach on Oct. 7, the Colorado Department of Personnel and Administration immediately asked the 38 benefits administrators to delete the email and […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, News
What’s Working: Thousands of fraud holds lifted for Colorado unemployed, while more face pricier health insurance
Thousands of unemployed Coloradans found financial relief in the past week, but not because the first Lost Wages Assistance payments were issued. Rather, the months-long holds on their unemployment claims were finally lifted. Some hadn’t been paid a penny since July and they couldn’t figure out why, no matter how many times they called the […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, Crime and Courts, News
Colorado stops nearly $1 billion in unemployment benefits from being paid to scammers
By adding a mysterious 18th fraud prevention mechanism in late August, Colorado’s unemployment office prevented $750 million to $1 billion in benefits from being paid to scammers. That measure stopped nearly 50,000 false claims from being approved in the past two weeks, said the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, declining to further elaborate for […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, News, Politics and Government, Technology
Fraud, ID theft in Colorado have shifted during coronavirus. Now is the time to double down on protection.
The coronavirus pandemic offered identity thieves a gold mine. Using stolen identities, thieves targeted the federal relief program known as the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, which was being administered by local state unemployment agencies. The key to the gold mine was that workers could backdate claims all the way to February and collect thousands of dollars […]