Article

2020-05-22 Africa North

[Zero Hedge] Just when you thought the world has reached a level of peak absurdity, the Nigerian scheme makes a grand reappearance.

Washington state officials admitted losing "hundreds of millions of dollars" to an international fraud scheme, originating out of Nigeria, that robbed the state’s unemployment insurance system and could mean even longer delays for thousands of jobless workers still waiting for legitimate benefits.
"Why are we sending all these EBT Cards to Lagos?"
As the Seattle Times reported, Suzi LeVine, commissioner of the state Employment Security Department (ESD), disclosed the staggering losses during a news conference Thursday afternoon. LeVine declined to specify how much money was stolen during the scam, which she said appears to be orchestrated out of Nigeria but she conceded that the amount was "orders of magnitude above" the $1.6 million that ESD reported losing to fraudsters in April.

While LeVine said state and law enforcement officials were working to recover as much of the stolen money as possible, she declined to say how much had been returned so far. She also said the ESD had taken "a number of steps" to prevent new fraudulent claims from being filed or paid but would not specify the steps to avoid alerting criminals.

Thursday’s disclosure helped explain the unusual surge in the number of new jobless claims filed last week in Washington, which as we showed this morning was the state with the highest weekly increase in claims....

Posted by Clem 2020-05-22 00:03|| || Front Page|| [11132 views ] Top

#1 In related news, Washington state is happy to announce that a Nigerian prince is willing to share his family's fortune that has been held in Nairobi bank until the bank gets $10,000 for lawyers fees. After forwarding the money, Washington state expects to receive their share any day now.

Posted by AlmostAnonymous5839 2020-05-22 03:13|| 2020-05-22 03:13|| Front Page Top

#2 Would it be wrong for me to laugh?

Posted by Whish Wittlesbach7992 2020-05-22 03:19|| 2020-05-22 03:19|| Front Page Top

#3 One would need a heart of stone not to laugh.

But I gotta ask, how lame is your unemployment claim system if Nigerian spammers can hack it?

Posted by SteveS 2020-05-22 04:17|| 2020-05-22 04:17|| Front Page Top

#4 My guess is that the only Nigerian Princess with a real job works in the Washington State Unemployment Office. That my friends is what is called irony.

Posted by Airandee 2020-05-22 05:53|| 2020-05-22 05:53|| Front Page Top

#5 Perhaps, like voting, one should file claims for benefits in person.

Posted by Ulolump Grumble1426 2020-05-22 08:04|| 2020-05-22 08:04|| Front Page Top

#6 "she declined to say how much had been returned so far"

What - she couldn't pronounce "zero"?

Posted by Barbara 2020-05-22 09:29|| 2020-05-22 09:29|| Front Page Top

#7 ^ mebbe afraid to take Zero's name in vain

Posted by Lex 2020-05-22 09:42|| 2020-05-22 09:42|| Front Page Top

#8 a few yrs I received four $1200 tax refund checks from 4 states I've never worked in. These state people are freaking sleeping at the wheel.

Posted by Jack Salami 2020-05-22 11:35|| 2020-05-22 11:35|| Front Page Top

#9 ^ I hope you cashed them all because, as Riverboat Slim said, "Suckers aren't supposed to have money..."

Posted by M. Murcek 2020-05-22 15:15|| 2020-05-22 15:15|| Front Page Top

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