Holy crap!
Officials in California now believe the state has paid out almost $10 billion in fraudulent Covid-19 unemployment claims:
California may have paid out nearly $10 billion in phony coronavirus unemployment claims with some of that money going to organized crime in Russia, China and other countries. https://t.co/I7cLmMxfoh
— FOX 11 Los Angeles (@FOXLA) January 16, 2021
The hardest hit are the people who are just now filing for unemployment only to find out there have already been claims filed with their Social Security numbers:
Many frustrated California workers locked out of unemployment benefits, accused of 'fraudulent activity' https://t.co/l2fcfnUuGw
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) January 15, 2021
And this is double previous estimates:
California unemployment fraud could top $9 billion, double previous estimate, expert warns https://t.co/936A8FyJo7
— L.A. Times: L.A. Now (@LANow) January 15, 2021
This should be a really big story:
California’s absolute and utter incompetence on this is just stunning. $10 BILLION paid out in fraudulent unemployment claims, including to prisoners and crime rings in foreign countries. Meanwhile, legitimate applicants who actually need the money through lockdowns can’t get it. https://t.co/JRwgAgVXLl
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) January 16, 2021
If you haven’t received your EDD money & you’ve instead been told you have to pay them, your account has been flagged for fraud, or you have some other kind of horror story, please contact me at Bill.Melugin@foxtv.com with a synopsis of what’s going on.
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) January 16, 2021
“And you wonder why there’s a recall effort underway?”
Recommended
Great job @GavinNewsom! And you wonder why there's a recall effort underway?
— Peggy S (@UODuckPeggy) January 17, 2021
Oh, and just wait. In a few weeks, tax documents go out and people will be asked to pay taxes on money they never received:
1/2 California EDD fraud that’s at least 10 Billion..is going to be a huge issue and bomb once the 1099-G get issued. A ton of legitimate working people around America are going to be taxed $20,000 to $50,000 dollars in unemployment benefits that they did not collect due to fraud
— Adam Housley (@adamhousley) January 16, 2021
It’s going to be a mess:
2/2 In some cases this will place them in higher tax brackets and owe thousands of dollars in tax bills. The theft is so blatant. Do you you think the IRS is going to be able sort this out? I bet they can’t. How can they know who’s PII was stolen and whose wasn’t.
— Adam Housley (@adamhousley) January 16, 2021
***
Join the conversation as a VIP Member