COLUMBUS, Ohio — Some Ohio workers are temporarily locked out of their unemployment accounts after a spike in increased attempts to defraud Ohio's unemployment system, according to the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services.
Cybercriminals are using fake credentials to access real accounts, said ODJFS spokesman Bill Teets. He confirmed 70% of new unemployment claims have been flagged for fraud over the past few weeks.
Workers whose accounts were affected may be unable to access their accounts while flagged claims are reviewed.
Teets also said locked accounts have led to long wait times for unemployed workers who call the state's call center for help.
"If that's, indeed, what happened to my account, that's just infuriating," said Medina resident Stephanie Korfmacher.
Korfmacher reached out to News 5 Investigators after she couldn't get a hold of anyone at ODJFS.
She said she has been unable to access her Ohio unemployment account and file claims for over two weeks.
"I can't even log into my own account to look at my emails in there to see if there's an explanation of what was going on," Korfmacher said.
Despite calling the number provided by ODJFS multiple times, she said she has never been able to connect with a real person at the state's call center.
"This is something... it's just so bizarre," Korfmacher said. "I've never been in this situation before where I couldn't get a hold of somebody with state services."
Korfmacher said her family needs Ohio unemployment benefits to help buy groceries and other household expenses.
She and her husband have a three-month-old baby boy and a three-year-old daughter.
"I need that money," she said. "It's not just for play."
If you are having trouble accessing your OH unemployment account, call 1-866-576-0006 to restore access to your account.
Go to unemployment.ohio.gov to report possible fraud to the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services.
