Fraud is on the rise, and the Industrial Commission has received multiple reports of workers’ compensation scamming attempts, including fake settlement offers and phishing emails.

In these attempts, individuals are sent a notice stating that the individual has been awarded a workers’ compensation settlement and that, to receive the full payment, they must pay a percentage of the settlement amount. These settlement offers may appear official because they include the Industrial Commission's address, a Department of Labor seal, and a judge's signature; nevertheless, they are fraudulent.

The Commission is also aware of several regional scams in which individuals falsely claim to represent the state or the courts.  In these scams, workers are contacted by phone, email, or video calls, and told they must pay money to receive workers’ compensation benefits or to settle their claims. The parties falsely identify themselves as a judge, an attorney, or a government representative.

 

What you should know:

• The Industrial Commission and insurance carriers do not ask for payment to release workers’ compensation benefits. Never pay money up front for benefits or settlements.
• The Industrial Commission will never ask for payment via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. Be skeptical of any payment requests and call 208-334-6000 before sending any payment.
• Official communications from the Industrial Commission will come in the form of a written letter and will not pressure you to act or pay immediately.
• All attorneys handling workers' compensation cases in Idaho must be licensed to practice law in Idaho.
• Official forms are available from the Industrial Commission website by visiting https://iic.idaho.gov/find-a-form/ – forms found on other sites/hosts that do not start with https://iic.idaho.gov/ should not be trusted.

If you are unsure whether a communication is legitimate, do not send money or personal information. Our team can help verify the status of a workers’ compensation claim and provide guidance. To verify, please call 208-334-6000 before you act.

 

Report Suspected Scams:

If you believe a scammer has contacted you, please report it to the Industrial Commission as soon as possible. Further actions that may be taken:

• Report the incident to local law enforcement.
• Report any internet crimes — phishing, crypto scams, online extortion, etc., to the Federal Bureau of Investigation by visiting http://www.ic3.gov/.
• Preserve emails, voicemails, texts, and payment requests as evidence.

Early reporting helps others from becoming victims.