The California Employment Development Department (EDD) this week warned Californians to be on alert for scammers who pretend to be from the EDD or Bank of America in an attempt to trick people into giving up personal information by text message or telephone. 

Californians continue to report scam cellphone text messages and telephone calls designed to trick unemployment insurance claimants into clicking a link or providing personal information over the telephone.

The U.S. Dept. of Justice and Federal Trade Commission have also warned consumers about this type of scam. The latest warning from the Federal Trade Commission explained that these sophisticated schemes try to trick people into clicking a link that takes them to a fake workforce agency website that may look very real. There, claimants are asked to input personal information that fraudsters then steal. 

Information about how to avoid text message scams is available through the Federal Trade Commission, FBI and the EDD What You Should Know About Unemployment Scammers fact sheet at www.edd.ca.gov/about_edd/fraud.htm.

Customers who are unsure whether a text message is legitimate can check their UI online account or their mailed notice to verify the information. Here are some key tips to help people determine whether a text message is a scam:

• Text messages asking people to reactivate a card by clicking a link are scams. Bank of America and EDD never text message people to reactivate a debit card.
• Never click a link in an unexpected text message claiming to be from EDD or Bank of America.
• Customers can verify whether an EDD text message is a legitimate by checking UI Online or the mailed notice for the same information.
• Customers can call Bank of America using the telephone number on the back of their debit card to check if a bank-related text message is legitimate.
• EDD sends text messages from the number 510-74 or 918-06. Customers should be aware, however, that a scammer might attempt to fake this number to trick someone.

Anyone who believes they have been victimized by a text message scam should immediately report this crime to the National Center for Disaster Fraud by filing a NCDF complaint form found at www.edd.ca.gov/about_edd/fraud.htm or by calling (866) 720-5721. Customers can also report fraud to EDD by visiting

askedd.edd.ca.gov and selecting the Report Fraud category to submit a fraud reporting form online. The EDD also offers other tips on how people can protect themselves from scams and how to report suspected fraud on the www.edd.ca.gov/about_edd/fraud.htm.