DLI warns Montanans of text message scam
- — January 22 2021
HELENA – The Montana Department of Labor & Industry (DLI) today is warning Montanans of a widespread text message scam that masquerades as a message from the Department.
At this time, it is believed that these scammers are sending fraudulent text messages to phone numbers with a 406 area code in the hopes that one is a current UI claimant. These text messages attempt to persuade recipients to click on a link, which may install malware on their devices.
An example of how this fraudulent text message appears to recipients is available below:
DLI is warning all Montanans, not just those with active UI claims, to beware of these fraudulent text messages. All official Department links end in the mt.gov domain. Potential fraudulent links may end in .php, .net, or .com.
DLI advises those that receive these messages to:
- Do not click the link
- Do not respond to the number
Unemployment Insurance programs nationwide have seen an uptick in attempts by sophisticated criminals to defraud programs and secure benefits. DLI is continuously working to combat these illegal schemes.
DLI encourages those who believe they may be a victim of unemployment fraud to immediately report it at uid.dli.mt.gov/report-fraud, or call the UI fraud hotline at (406) 444-0072.
