Tulsa Business Owner Says He's Received 3 Fake Unemployment Claims

A Tulsa business owner said people are filing for unemployment under his business but they've never worked for him.

The state said they've caught nearly 4,000 false unemployment claims since March.

Michael Goodman owns Window World and said he's received three fake unemployment claims in less than a week.

Today, he found out someone used his name and address to file for unemployment from another business.

Goodman said business is already tough due to Covid-19, now he's dealing with scammers.

"In the state that the world and the economy is in, and of course Tulsa, that people would take advantage of anyone in a situation like this,” said Goodman.

Goodman said he's received unemployment claims from three different names. But none of them have ever worked at Window World.

The claims list a name, social security number and a claim ID.

He said they look real so if he doesn't dispute them, he's afraid they will get approved, causing his insurance rates to go up.

"We've kind of set up a template so we can just send it off immediately to save us time as a business because I don't think these are the last ones we are going to get,” said Goodman.

The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission said people who are actually out of work are getting blocked from unemployment benefits because a fake claim has already been filed using their name.

They say there was a security breach in 2017 which exposed personal information for millions of Americans.

"I think this is a huge identity theft problem that is kind of culminating now and people are just sending out mass filings. Just to see what sticks,’ said Goodman.

Goodman said he encourages other business owners to be aware and dispute the claims before it's too late.

"I think it's time to be more neighborly, more godly, and help people out if you have the ability to help people. Don't take advantage of people,” said Goodman.