The Snoqualmie Police Department and the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) have seen a dramatic rise in unemployment imposter fraud in recent weeks.

If you suspect someone has made a fraudulent claim in your name, the Employment Security Department suggests you take the following steps:

Report it to the Employment Security Department by completing its Online Form Report. You may also report the fraud to ESD by phone at 1-855-682-0785 or by email at esdfraud@esd.wa.gov. Due to the high volume of phone calls and emails associated with fraudulent claims, ESD’s preferred method of reporting is the Online Fraud Report.

You will need the following information on hand to verify your identity:

Last four (4) digits of your Social Security Number (SSN)

Date of birth (DOB)

Address

Current phone number

Information about how you learned a fraudulent claim was filed

You will need to give ESD permission to deny or cancel the fraudulent claim.

File a police report with your local law enforcement agency. For Snoqualmie and North Bend, please call the Snoqualmie Police Department at 425-888-3333.

Contact your employer’s human resources department to report the incident.

Report it to the Federal Trade Commission identity theft website.

Request free credit reports at annualcreditreport.com and review them for fraudulent activity. You may also call 1-877-322-8228 to request credit reports.

Set up an Internal Revenue Service account with your social security number to prevent criminals from creating an account using your identity. You can also call the IRS at 1-800-908-4490 to report suspected identity theft. Another option to lock your social security number is at the Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify website.

Contact your local post office to make sure your mail has not been redirected to a different address without your permission.

Find additional tips from the Washington State Office of the Attorney General.

You can also set up a Secure Access Washington (SAW) to prevent someone from setting one up in your name. A SAW account is used by multiple Washington agencies to conduct business with the state. After you complete the form, if you receive an error message stating your social security number is already linked to an account, you should assume your identity has been compromised and follow the guidance listed above to