EDD issues customer alert about text-message scams

SACRAMENTO – The California Employment Development Department (EDD) today warned Californians to be on alert for scammers who pretend to be EDD or Bank of America in an attempt to trick people into giving up personal information by text message.

There have been several reports of people receiving scam cell-phone text-

messages to trick unemployment insurance claimants into clicking a link.

The U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission have also warned

consumers about this type of scam. Information about how to avoid text-message

scams is available through the Federal Trade Commission, FBI, and the EDD

Unemployment Scammers fact sheet.

Customers who are unsure whether a text message is legitimate can check their

UI Online account or their mailed notice to verify the information.

Here are some key tips to help people determine whether a text message is a

Scam:

• Text messages asking people to reactivate a card by clicking a link are scams.

Bank of America and EDD never text message people to reactivate a debit

card.

• Never click a link in an unexpected text message claiming to be from EDD or

Bank of America.

• Customers can verify whether an EDD text message is legitimate by checking

UI Online or the mailed notice for the same information.

• Customers can call Bank of America using the telephone number on the back

of their debit card to check if a bank-related text message is legitimate.

• EDD only sends text messages from the number 510-74 or 918-06. Customers

should be aware, however, that a scammer might attempt to fake this number

to trick someone.

Anyone who believes they have been victimized by a text-message scam should

immediately report this crime to the National Center for Disaster Fraud by visiting

justice.gov/disaster-fraud or by calling 866-720-5721. Customers can also report

fraud to EDD by visiting Ask EDD and selecting the Report Fraud category to

submit a Fraud Reporting Form online.

The EDD also offers other tips on how to protect yourself from scams and how to

report suspected fraud on the Help Fight Fraud webpage, https://www.edd.ca.gov/about_edd/fraud.htm.

Submitted by the California Employment Development Department.