IDES warns of unemployment scam promising $1,400 in additional benefits

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Illinois Department of Employment Security has issued a warning about an email scam attempting to steal personal information.

The email states that the IDES has added an additional $1,400 to your weekly benefits and that there might incline many people to take the bait.

Recipients of the email are then prompted to click a link that goes to a page where they are then asked to fill out personal information, including social security numbers.

IDES urges anyone who receive this type of email not to click on the link provided. Doing so will allow the fraudsters access to your personal information. Always check the sender of the email and delete it if you believe the email to be fraudulent.

IDES issued a statement saying, "This is a phishing scheme.

"If you look at the sender's address (teresa.yan@state.ma.us), you'll notice it is not from IDES or a state of Illinois email address. Additionally, the information contained in the body of the email referring to an additional weekly $1400 supplemental payment is inaccurate. As you're aware, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act extended the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program to claimants to receive an additional $300 per week to their benefit payment(s). $1400 was the amount individuals received as a result of the last federal stimulus payment, which was paid directly to individuals via the US Treasury, not through state unemployment agencies.

"Individuals who receive this type of email should not click on the link provided. Doing so will allow the fraudster(s) access to personal information. Individuals should check the source of the email (the sender), the information contained in the email, and once confirming it is a phishing scheme, delete the email. Never click on any link you receive (either via text or email) if you do not and cannot trust the sender."