Proving my identity to DUA and Unemployment Insurance fraud

The Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) may ask you to prove your identity when you file your claim for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits. When you apply, DUA will send you instructions by mail or in your UI Online inbox asking you to send them proof of your identity by:

• visiting a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) location in Massachusetts, or 
• submitting your identity documents through your UI Online portal.

Important

The deadline to verify your identity is usually only 7 days from the date on DUA’s letter. If you miss the deadline, you get a denial letter. Follow the instructions on the denial letter to ask DUA for an appeal of the identity verification denial.

1. Collect:
   1. Photos of the front and back of your driver's license or other government-issued photo ID.
   2. Your Social Security number.
   3. If your current address does not match the address on your government-issued photo ID, a recent bill showing your current address.
   4. You may also need your phone number and ​email address.
2. Verify your identity at a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) location in Massachusetts.  
   1. Bring your identity verification documents with you and the letter DUA sent you with instructions to verify your identity.  
   2. After USPS checks your identity verification documents, they will send your information to DUA. 
   3. Once DUA makes a decision about your identity verification, it will send you a letter by mail or to your UI Online account inbox.

If you were denied Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits because you couldn’t verify your identity, you may still be eligible for benefits. If DUA denied your claim because you did not provide proof of your identity, the denial letter they sent you explains how to appeal their decision. See Appealing a Denial of Unemployment Insurance.

If you give DUA copies of the documents they need, they will look at the identity verification issue again, even if you missed the appeal deadline.

You can file an appeal if you haven’t done so already. Even if your appeal is late (after 10 days of getting your decision), DUA should allow your appeal. 

After you file your appeal, DUA might send you a letter called an “order to show cause.” This letter will give you instructions for how to send DUA your identity verification documents through your online account. Once you do that, DUA will review your documents and might approve your identity verification issue without a hearing. 

However, DUA might still schedule you for a hearing for the identity verification issue.

Be prepared to show copies of the following:

• Front and back of a valid government issued photo identification card or passport;
• Front and back of your Social Security card; and
• If the address on your photo ID doesn’t match the address on file with DUA, you may need to show proof of your address. This can be a copy of your lease, bank statement, or utility bill.

See a list of documents DUA should accept to verify your identity. If you were not able to fix the identity verification issue with a hearing or missed the deadline to file an appeal, you can write to the DUA and ask them to "redetermine the decision under Section 71 of the law."

Director of the DUA 
Department of Unemployment Assistance 
100 Cambridge Street 
Boston, MA 02114

You can also call your state legislator to ask for help.

If you miss the deadline to verify your identity:

The deadline to verify your identity is usually only 7 days from the date on DUA's letter. If you miss the deadline, you will get a denial letter. Follow the instructions on the denial letter to ask DUA for an appeal of the identity verification denial.

If you miss the deadline to file an appeal of an identity verification denial:

The deadline to file your appeal is within 10 days of the date on the denial notice. But even if your appeal is late, DUA should allow your appeal.

If you give DUA copies of the documents they need, they will look at the identity verification issue again, even if you missed the appeal deadline.

You can also write to the DUA and ask them to "redetermine the decision under Section 71 of the law."

Director of the DUA 
Department of Unemployment Assistance 
100 Cambridge Street 
Boston, MA 02114

You can also call your state legislator to ask for help.

If someone used your name or information to apply for Unemployment:

• Use the Department of Unemployment Assistance’s form or call (877) 626-6800 to report fraud.
• Put a fraud alert on your credit report. The 3 credit reporting agencies are: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Call 1 company and ask them to put a fraud alert on all 3 of your reports.
• Call your local police department and file a police report about the fraud.

To learn more, see the Massachusetts Report Identity Theft page.