Blagojevich approves changes in unemployment insurance checks to protect against identity theft

"The new identification system is the result of creativity and determined effort on the part of IDES staff, with the cooperation of the Illinois Attorney General's office and the banking and currency exchange industries," said Governor Blagojevich.  "The innovation demonstrates the state's commitment to the concerns and needs of citizens."

 

Until now, the recipient's social security number was imprinted on each unemployment insurance check to aid banks and currency exchanges in verifying that the person presenting the check was the claimant to whom the check was issued.  In addition, the number was used to aid in the prosecution of fraud cases.

 

With recently increased public concern over identity theft, IDES explored alternative methods to continue to minimize check-cashing fraud without using printed social security numbers, which might be compromised if benefit checks are ever lost or stolen. The solution was the replacement of the social security number with a newly created 11-digit identification number, which would be used solely to verify identity in the cashing of unemployment insurance benefit checks. 

 

The change will be effective on all checks mailed after July 1.

 

IDES is currently conducting an outreach program to inform banks and currency exchanges of the new identification number and how to use it, in order to maintain and even enhance check fraud deterrence, while providing for a new safeguard against identity theft.