You may become a victim of identity theft if someone steals key pieces of information about you -- such as your name, address, date of birth, social security number or even your mother's maiden name. Theft of these items could enable someone to commit any number of acts of fraud including, taking over your financial accounts, opening new accounts, applying for credit cards or loans, social security benefits and use of rental services. The goal of identity thieves is to spend as much money as possible before the person realizes they have been victimized.
Reporting Unemployment Insurance Fraud
Within the last several months, there has been an increase in Identity Theft related incidents involving the Illinois Department of Employment (IDES). If your name has been used to file a false unemployment claim, it is extremely important to report this incident to IDES, in addition to filing a police report. By going to the IDES website, you can easily report this incident online to verify you have not applied for unemployment benefits. Due to the large number of false claims being reported, it might take several days before someone from IDES contacts you.
To file a report with IDES, click here.
We also suggest the following:
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You may also contact the police department at (847) 895-4500, advise you wish to report an incident of Unemployment Fraud and your call will be transferred to the Front Desk. An officer will gather your information and complete a report documenting the incident.
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If you prefer, you may also dial 911 and an officer will be dispatched to your location in Schaumburg.
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Contact your banking institution to make sure there are no suspicious transactions on your accounts.
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Contact one of the credit bureaus and request a free credit check to again verify there are no fraudulent activities associated with your name.
To avoid duplicating investigative efforts, and since this particular crime involves several other communities besides Schaumburg, IDES will be the responsible agency investigating these false unemployment claims. However, if you have questions or concerns, you may call the Schaumburg Police Department and ask to speak to a detective.
Ways to Minimize Your Risk of Identity Theft
Take preventative actions to avoid being victimized.
- Don't give anyone personal information about yourself.
- Shred any documents or credit cards that you do not need or use.
- Keep track of your purse, wallet and briefcase at all times.
- Retrieve your mail from your mailbox promptly.
Agencies & Resources
Page owner: Police Department
Reviewed Oct. 2026 · next review April 2027