SACRAMENTO, Calif — Over the past few months, many people have come forward to share their stories of receiving letters from California's Employment Development Department that weren't meant for them. EDD says they are investigating and working with agencies to fight fraud across the country.
Sacramento resident Angela Miles reached out to us after receiving close to 50 letters from EDD.
“I didn’t know what to think, and so many different names came, and I was like, I really don’t know,” Miles said. “Didn’t know who to contact.”
There are a few things EDD recommends if you are getting these letters such as send the mail back by putting “return to sender” on the envelope.
You can also send the mail items directly to EDD investigators at:
EDD PO BOX 826880, MIC 43
Sacramento, CA 94280-0225.
Another option is to destroy the letter instead of just throwing it away.
However be aware if you filed for unemployment benefits, EDD has taken some measures to help stop fraud. EDD is no longer automatically backdating new pandemic unemployment assistance claims.
If this impacts you, such as if you’re a small business owner or independent contractor, and you believe your claim should be backdated, contact EDD online through the AskEDD function on their website.
EDD has also shut down multiple claim situations from the same address that they believe could lead to fraud. They say in those situations scammers will try to intercept, redirect, or gather mail involved in the claims.
Lastly, they say the best way to report fraud is by submitting a fraud reporting form online on their website.
Got a personal or business finance question that needs an answer? Let the Dollars and Sense team know by texting us at 916-321-3310.