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WelcomeFounded in 1996, On Point Technology has grown steadily to become the leading independent solution provider dedicated to state workforce agencies. Visit On Point Technology in 2008On Point Technology will be exhibiting at conferences from coast to coast in 2008, demonstrating our packaged software solutions developed exclusively for state workforce agencies. We hope you'll take the opportunity to visit us at one of the following events: NASWA Winter Policy Forum NASWA Biennial UI Integrity Conference UWC National UI Issues Conference NASWA UI Technology Connection NASWA Annual Conference NASWA Annual UI Directors' Conference On Point ProductsOn Point Technology is the only company that develops software exclusively for state workforce agencies. Our product suite includes Barts, Aware and Recover. With Barts, you can capture 12 times more unemployment insurance overpayments with your current staff. Aware offers the complete strategy to turn your workforce data into industry intelligence. Recover is smart software for automated recovery and collections management. www.onpointtech.com | Welcome to the February 2008 issue of BullsEye, the On Point Technology newsletter. Our goal is to keep you up-to-date on the latest unemployment insurance news and developments at On Point Technology. |
 Is Your Agency A Victim of Pre-texting?
Although “pre-texting” sounds as if it were referring to the steps taken before a text message is sent via your cell phone, the term actually refers to the stealing of personal information by thieves impersonating their victims. Pre-texting thieves frequently attempt to trick companies and U.S. Government Agencies, such as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) into divulging sensitive personal information. Pre-texting is often carried out by private investigators. They use the Internet and telephone to con the possessors of information, like telephone companies and most lately public agencies. The most widely publicized case was the theft of the telephone records of various Hewlett-Packard board members. Documents gathered by a Congressional Committee reveal that companies known as “data brokers” are often contracted to do the actual dirty work. The seediest part of the scam is to bring in subcontractors to engage in whatever ruse, impersonations, and lies that will result in records being improperly revealed. It now appears that a version of “pre-texting” has been developed to scam wage records in order to file phony UI claims. One case is apparently now under investigation---but it may not end there. One version of the wage record scam could work this way. A call comes into a UI Claims Call Center and the caller [thief] engages the claims agent as follows: [Thief] Provides a valid name, SSN# (which are stolen) and claims to be from State X. Then declares that he tried to file a claim in State X but was told he would have to contact State Y where my records are. Then requests the agent in State Y to look up his record? [Agent in State Y] {being customer service trained and inclined to help} Attempts to look up record and informs the thief that he doesn’t have wages to base a claim on in State Y. [Thief] Asks the agent if they can check the records in State X to help resolve the problem. [Agent in State Y] Looks up the inter-state record and advises that wages are on file there. [Thief] Asks the agent to confirm the wage information by requesting the employer name, amount of wages, etc. [Agent in State Y] Provides the information. [Thief] Now possess what they need to file a claim in State X. Sounds simple, but it can and in most cases does work. A good first clue to watch for is multiple requests for wage information originating from the same telephone number. Another instance of pre-texting was uncovered in the State of Washington recently. The case was initially discovered as a Tip & Lead at the Spokane Tele-center. An intake worker received a call that was very suspicious in nature. The agency employee queried the Washington system for call center transactions for the originating phone number. The query identified multiple calls from the same number following the same call path. The path taken was caller question vs. initial or continued claim. In other words, the caller was not in the process of filing a claim. The caller had a question and selected the option to speak to an intake worker. The table used here for the queries is known as the call-detail table, which can be grouped by telephone number then grouped by type of call. If one gets a hit on a telephone number being used more than X number of times in a week, and the call type being taken is “caller question,” that number is suspicious. This table has been queried and there are other phone numbers fitting that pattern. The State is investigating. It appears that the callers sometimes identified themselves as Interstate Program Coordinators (IPCs) implying that their computers were down and they needed wage information to complete a claim. Once reported as a Tip & Lead (first discovered and conveyed as a possible scheme by Colorado), USDOL ETA Region Six convened several teleconferences to determine most appropriate method to pursue investigation. On Point Technology’s Aware package software solution can be used to analyze your agency’s telephone records to search out incidences of this scam. If you would like information or a demonstration, call Bob Yokavonus at 908-526-0426 or e-mail robert.yokavonus@onpointtech.com. | |
Alaska Receives Annual EPAP Check-upAs part of On Point Technology’s commitment to provide the highest quality customer service, our Business Team experts conduct annual on-site check-ups. This is a vital part of our Enterprise Product Assurance Program (EPAP). The objective is to assess the effectiveness of our customer’s processes and assist them in achieving performance goals. Most recently, On Point Technology visited the State of Alaska to conduct check-ups for both the Aware and Barts products. Our Business Team worked with the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development (ADLWD) staff to provide an analysis of operational statistics. We offered useful methods to maximize the detection and establishment of their overpayments, and worked with ADLWD to set new goals. We were pleased to see that ADLWD came up with several excellent strategies to utilize Aware. One staff member used the application to track prison cases, while another is planning to use Aware to determine the eligibility of victims in times of disaster. Check-ups are a critical part of optimizing the return on investment in On Point Technology products, improving organizational processes, and ensuring that performance goals are realized. | |
Participant in $16 Million Fraud Scheme ConvictedA participant in one of the nation’s largest unemployment insurance (UI) benefits scam nicknamed Gold Rush, was indicted last year by the US Department of Justice. Salameh Mohammad Rashid of Reedley, California was sentenced to six years of imprisonment stemming from his laundering of fraudulent unemployment insurance benefits checks. The fraudulent benefits checks were not only issued by California, but five other western states. Rashid who owns Primo Market convenience store knowingly cashed thousands of fraudulent UI benefits checks. Rashid would charge his co-defendants in the case a percentage of the face value of each check as a fee. From 1999 to 2003, Rashid cashed checks totaling approximately $16 million dollars. At the time of his arrest, agents seized $430,000 from Rashid’s home and business. As part of his sentence, he is required to repay $16,266,908.24. Not only was UI fraud at the heart of this case, but identity theft as well. The defendants were using identities of unknowing victims to file the claims in order to receive the UI benefits checks. The identities were obtained by breaking into dumpsters and stealing employee payroll information. The case involved investigation by several government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, the California Employment Development Department, Investigation Division and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. | |
On Point Technology Welcomes Another UI ExpertJerry Iyall, a recent past executive with the Washington State Employment Security Department, has joined On Point Technology. Jerry joins us with more than 30 years of experience in all aspects of the UI program such as managing UI policy, legislation, and technology. He was responsible for Washington’s Office of Special Investigations and Benefit Payment Control units and helped both of those organizations become recognized as national leaders. Jerry frequently represented Washington at NASWA UI Committee meetings and work groups. He is known for his overall knowledge of the UI program and his ability to get things done. As Vice President of Government Relations, Jerry will be working with states to help them build a business case to justify use of Reed Act funds or other resources, to procure software for integrity and increase business efficiency. Please contact Jerry at either (360) 485-7143 or jerry.iyall@onpointtech.com for a complimentary conference on how he may be of assistance to you. | |
2008/09 Calendar Inserts for Mouse Pads Are AvailableSeveral people who picked up On Point Technology's calendar-mouse pad combination at various meetings and conferences have inquired about inserts for the 2008 calendar year. These inserts are now available. If you are interested in receiving one, contact Bob Yokavonus at 908-526-0426 or robert.yokavonus@onpointtech.com. | |
Going paperless?To opt out of receiving the print version of BullsEye and to get the latest UI news via only this electronic version, e-mail us at newsletter@onpointtech.com. | |
Forwarding this newsletter?Are you forwarding issues of the BullsEye to colleagues in your agency who you know will appreciate the information? If you know someone who would like to receive this newsletter directly, just e-mail us at newsletter@onpointtech.com with their name, e-mail address, title, and address and we'll add them to our mailing list.
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