Unemployment fraud is rising thanks to $600 bonus

When businesses closed their doors at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, millions of hardworking people were sent home, furloughed, or worse — laid off.

In response, Congress took dramatic action under the CARES Act to expand unemployment insurance benefits, loosen eligibility requirements, and add a weekly $600 bonus to existing benefits. These policies have since created a perfect storm that discourages people from returning to work and exposes states to more unemployment insurance scams than ever before.