Help Us Fight Fraud
Source: https://www.edd.ca.gov/en/about_edd/fraud
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:18
Help Us Fight Fraud
Skip to Main Content
Español
Help Us Fight Fraud
We take fraud seriously and work hard every
day
to protect you
r information
.
Visit
EDD’s Response to Fraud
to learn more.
We can't fight fraud alone
— w
e need your help. Did you get a form from us even though you didn’t
apply
for benefits? Unfortunately, this means someone could have
applied
using your information. We've made reporting fraud easy.
How to Report Fraud
Online
Visit us in
AskEDD
and choose the right option for yourself. If you received a Form 1099G tax form, but did not apply for benefits, select
Report Personal Fraud
.
By Phone
For most cases, call our Fraud Hotline at
1-800-229-6297
. If you received a Form 1099G tax form, but did not apply for benefits, call
1-866-401-2849
. We're open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except state holidays).
Did you get a Form 1099G but didn’t apply for benefits?
If we confirm you were a victim of fraud, we’ll remove the claim from your Social Security number and send you a new Form 1099G tax form, if needed.
Tips on Reporting Fraud
There are a few things you can do to make reporting fraud easier.
Share all the details you can. Remember, your report will be anonymous unless you include your name or phone number. Don’t wait, report fraud promptly.
Send any documents or mail related to the fraud to
EDD, PO Box 826880, MIC 43, Sacramento, CA 94280-0225
. Or you can write “Return to Sender” on the envelope and give it to your mail carrier.
If you forgot something, simply contact us again. Be sure to include the reference number we gave you when you reported fraud the first time.
For privacy, we don’t give status updates unless it’s required by law.
How to Avoid Scams
Sometimes scammers will apply for benefits using your personal information. They’ll try to contact you in different ways, including calling, emailing, and texting. We understand this is frustrating and want to give you some peace of mind.
Review these helpful tips
and see how we will, or won't, try to reach you.
Want these tips in your preferred language?
Review
Հայերեն
,
简体中文
,
繁體中文
,
한국어
,
Tagalog
, or
Tiếng Việt
.
We Always
S
end texts from
510-74
or
918-06
for unemployment and
35954
or
95937
for disability and Paid Family Leave.
Send
website
links that include “edd.ca.gov”
.
We Never
Contact you
through s
ocial
media
or phone apps
.
Keep Your Information Safe
Never share your username or password with anyone.
Don’t give any information to strangers who come to your house.
Don’t respond to text messages.
Don’t trust websites that don’t end with “ca.gov”.
Current Scams You Should Know About
Unfortunately, scams are getting more sophisticated, and it can be difficult to tell when an offer is honest, or when you could be getting scammed. For an official list of common scams, visit the
Office of the Attorney General
. Some
other scam types
you should know about include:
Romance scams:
includes fake dating profiles or people who immediately ask for money.
Text-based job offers:
real employers don't usually hire by text message. Scammers may offer you a fake job with high pay and then ask for your banking information so they can pay you. Unfortunately, these scams are on the rise, but you can outsmart the criminal by simply not responding.
Cash giveaways, rewards, or prizes:
if it sounds too good to be true, it is likely a scam.
Offers of unclaimed vehicles or personal property.
Fake unemployment websites:
criminals trick people into providing their usernames and passwords on fake unemployment websites.
Robocalls and impersonators:
automated calls or fake agents pretending to be from trusted organizations to steal your information or money.
AI-powered schemes:
scams using AI to imitate real voices, photos, or messages to trick you into sending money or personal data.
Tech support:
fraudsters posing as tech support to gain access to your devices or ask for payment to “fix” fake problems.
Charity scams:
fraudulent groups that pretend to be real charities, often after disasters, to steal donations.
Elder fraud:
scams that target older adults, often through fake investments, romance, or threats.
How to Avoid Committing Fraud
You’re committing fraud if you:
Make a false statement like applying for disability benefits when you’re not really sick or hurt.
Provide
incorrect information
like the wrong Social Security number.
Withhold facts like not reporting your work and wages.
Remember, committing fraud has serious consequences including jail, repaying the money you stole, and being disqualified for getting future benefits.
Contact us
immediately if you may have accidentally committed fraud.
Payroll Tax Fraud
Did you know that payroll taxes have some specific requirements? You’re committing tax fraud if you:
Don’t register with the State.
Deal in cash only.
Intentionally misclassify employees as independent contractors.
Don’t report the wages you paid or pay payroll taxes.
Use rate manipulations or other kinds of schemes.
For
E
mployers
and
Physicians/Practioners
Employers and
physicians/practioners
have a
special responsibility to help fight fraud
.
Contact us right away if
your employee or patient
:
Has never been your employee
or patient
.
Has been terminated, laid off
,
or has quit their job.
Is receiving wages.
Has
n’t
stopped working.
Has filed
or plans to file
for Workers’ Compensation
.
Is using
the wrong
Social Security number.
Is working
or
getting
care
under another name.
Has recovered from their disability
or i
sn
’t
your patient
anymore.
Penalties for Committing Fraud
Giving false information or not sharing important details with us is fraud, and it comes with serious penalties. You could:
Be taken to court and charged with a crime by the government.
Face jail or prison time.
Pay back the benefits you stole, along with extra fines.
Lose future tax refunds.
Be disqualified for future benefits.
Help Us, Help You. Report Fraud Today.
Your peace of mind is everything. We understand that. Join us and help fight fraud today.
Report Fraud Now
Skip to Virtual Chat
Leaving the EDD Website
You are about to leave our website.
Leave Website
Language Resources
منابع اللغة (Arabic)
լեզվական ռեսուրսները (Armenian)
منابع زبان (Farsi)
भाषा संसाधन (Hindi)
言語ソース (Japanese)
언어 자료 (Korean)
ធនធានភាសា (Mon-Khmer [Cambodian])
ਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਸਰੋਤ (Punjabi)
Языковые ресурсы (Russian)
语言资源 (Simplified Chinese)
Recursos en otros idiomas (Spanish)
Mga Resource ng Wika (Tagalog)
แหล่งข้อมูลด้านภาษา (Thai)
語言資源 (Traditional Chinese)
Nguồn Hỗ Trợ Ngôn Ngữ (Vietnamese)
Skip to Main Content
Español
Help Us Fight Fraud
We take fraud seriously and work hard every
day
to protect you
r information
.
Visit
EDD’s Response to Fraud
to learn more.
We can't fight fraud alone
— w
e need your help. Did you get a form from us even though you didn’t
apply
for benefits? Unfortunately, this means someone could have
applied
using your information. We've made reporting fraud easy.
How to Report Fraud
Online
Visit us in
AskEDD
and choose the right option for yourself. If you received a Form 1099G tax form, but did not apply for benefits, select
Report Personal Fraud
.
By Phone
For most cases, call our Fraud Hotline at
1-800-229-6297
. If you received a Form 1099G tax form, but did not apply for benefits, call
1-866-401-2849
. We're open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except state holidays).
Did you get a Form 1099G but didn’t apply for benefits?
If we confirm you were a victim of fraud, we’ll remove the claim from your Social Security number and send you a new Form 1099G tax form, if needed.
Tips on Reporting Fraud
There are a few things you can do to make reporting fraud easier.
Share all the details you can. Remember, your report will be anonymous unless you include your name or phone number. Don’t wait, report fraud promptly.
Send any documents or mail related to the fraud to
EDD, PO Box 826880, MIC 43, Sacramento, CA 94280-0225
. Or you can write “Return to Sender” on the envelope and give it to your mail carrier.
If you forgot something, simply contact us again. Be sure to include the reference number we gave you when you reported fraud the first time.
For privacy, we don’t give status updates unless it’s required by law.
How to Avoid Scams
Sometimes scammers will apply for benefits using your personal information. They’ll try to contact you in different ways, including calling, emailing, and texting. We understand this is frustrating and want to give you some peace of mind.
Review these helpful tips
and see how we will, or won't, try to reach you.
Want these tips in your preferred language?
Review
Հայերեն
,
简体中文
,
繁體中文
,
한국어
,
Tagalog
, or
Tiếng Việt
.
We Always
S
end texts from
510-74
or
918-06
for unemployment and
35954
or
95937
for disability and Paid Family Leave.
Send
website
links that include “edd.ca.gov”
.
We Never
Contact you
through s
ocial
media
or phone apps
.
Keep Your Information Safe
Never share your username or password with anyone.
Don’t give any information to strangers who come to your house.
Don’t respond to text messages.
Don’t trust websites that don’t end with “ca.gov”.
Current Scams You Should Know About
Unfortunately, scams are getting more sophisticated, and it can be difficult to tell when an offer is honest, or when you could be getting scammed. For an official list of common scams, visit the
Office of the Attorney General
. Some
other scam types
you should know about include:
Romance scams:
includes fake dating profiles or people who immediately ask for money.
Text-based job offers:
real employers don't usually hire by text message. Scammers may offer you a fake job with high pay and then ask for your banking information so they can pay you. Unfortunately, these scams are on the rise, but you can outsmart the criminal by simply not responding.
Cash giveaways, rewards, or prizes:
if it sounds too good to be true, it is likely a scam.
Offers of unclaimed vehicles or personal property.
Fake unemployment websites:
criminals trick people into providing their usernames and passwords on fake unemployment websites.
Robocalls and impersonators:
automated calls or fake agents pretending to be from trusted organizations to steal your information or money.
AI-powered schemes:
scams using AI to imitate real voices, photos, or messages to trick you into sending money or personal data.
Tech support:
fraudsters posing as tech support to gain access to your devices or ask for payment to “fix” fake problems.
Charity scams:
fraudulent groups that pretend to be real charities, often after disasters, to steal donations.
Elder fraud:
scams that target older adults, often through fake investments, romance, or threats.
How to Avoid Committing Fraud
You’re committing fraud if you:
Make a false statement like applying for disability benefits when you’re not really sick or hurt.
Provide
incorrect information
like the wrong Social Security number.
Withhold facts like not reporting your work and wages.
Remember, committing fraud has serious consequences including jail, repaying the money you stole, and being disqualified for getting future benefits.
Contact us
immediately if you may have accidentally committed fraud.
Payroll Tax Fraud
Did you know that payroll taxes have some specific requirements? You’re committing tax fraud if you:
Don’t register with the State.
Deal in cash only.
Intentionally misclassify employees as independent contractors.
Don’t report the wages you paid or pay payroll taxes.
Use rate manipulations or other kinds of schemes.
For
E
mployers
and
Physicians/Practioners
Employers and
physicians/practioners
have a
special responsibility to help fight fraud
.
Contact us right away if
your employee or patient
:
Has never been your employee
or patient
.
Has been terminated, laid off
,
or has quit their job.
Is receiving wages.
Has
n’t
stopped working.
Has filed
or plans to file
for Workers’ Compensation
.
Is using
the wrong
Social Security number.
Is working
or
getting
care
under another name.
Has recovered from their disability
or i
sn
’t
your patient
anymore.
Penalties for Committing Fraud
Giving false information or not sharing important details with us is fraud, and it comes with serious penalties. You could:
Be taken to court and charged with a crime by the government.
Face jail or prison time.
Pay back the benefits you stole, along with extra fines.
Lose future tax refunds.
Be disqualified for future benefits.
Help Us, Help You. Report Fraud Today.
Your peace of mind is everything. We understand that. Join us and help fight fraud today.
Report Fraud Now
Skip to Virtual Chat
Leaving the EDD Website
You are about to leave our website.
Leave Website
Language Resources
منابع اللغة (Arabic)
լեզվական ռեսուրսները (Armenian)
منابع زبان (Farsi)
भाषा संसाधन (Hindi)
言語ソース (Japanese)
언어 자료 (Korean)
ធនធានភាសា (Mon-Khmer [Cambodian])
ਭਾਸ਼ਾ ਸਰੋਤ (Punjabi)
Языковые ресурсы (Russian)
语言资源 (Simplified Chinese)
Recursos en otros idiomas (Spanish)
Mga Resource ng Wika (Tagalog)
แหล่งข้อมูลด้านภาษา (Thai)
語言資源 (Traditional Chinese)
Nguồn Hỗ Trợ Ngôn Ngữ (Vietnamese)