Westerfield says report fraudulent unemployment claims to state website

State Senator Whitney Westerfield is among thousands of Kentuckians who have received letters regarding fraudulent unemployment claims filed on their behalf and he’s urging all potential victims to report the fraud to the state.

He says it was especially disturbing the perpetrator in his case knew his social security number and address and he received official correspondence from the Labor Cabinet with information on his eligibility for an unemployment claim he never filed.

Westerfield has been referring his constituents to a state website designed to report fraud.

The senator hopes to hear more from the Labor Cabinet about potential data breaches or for another explanation about how so many people’s personal information may have gotten out. He says those committing the fraud have slowed down the unemployment system and caused stress and anxiety to their victims.