During the height of the pandemic, the state was getting 1,000 fraudulent unemployment claims a day. The Rhode Island State Police recently told PBN that number has declined, to a still daunting 400 daily.
State police estimate at least 96,000 residents have had fraudulent unemployment claims filed in their names since COVID-19 hit last spring.
The state so far has reclaimed $3.5 million that was paid out in fraudulent claims. That’s 7.5% of the $47.1 million paid on fake unemployment claims in the last 15 months.
Rhode Island, unlike many other states, has managed to avoid borrowing for its unemployment insurance trust fund. That’s because federal funding has covered most of the fraudulent payments.
And the state continues to upgrade its technology to catch fraudsters.
Inadequate systems have been a hallmark of RI State Gov’t for decades. Gina was a total failure as far remedying the situation. Hopefully, Dan McKee will get things headed in the RIght direction.
I’m satisfied with the way the DLT has handled the situation given the task in front of them. McKee should be kept on a short leash so as to not damage our state’s economy until we can get rid of him next year.