Identity theft and fraudulent unemployment claims pose a growing problem in Colorado as well as the rest of the United States.

Why is there so much fraud associated with making a claim for unemployment? According to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE), fraudulent data came from massive breaches of Facebook, First American Financial Corp., Marriott,  Yahoo and others over the past 10 years in which billions of identities were compromised.

To safeguard the integrity of the unemployment program, the CDLE has turned to ID.me, a federally certified identity provider which specializes in digital identity protection. The provider helps CDLE make sure people are who they say they are before granting access to sensitive claim information or issuing benefits.

The ID.me program affects all applicants for unemployment insurance benefits since April. If you’re already receiving benefits, complete the verification immediately to prevent your benefits from ending abruptly or to start them in the first place. The process is simple and easy:

1. Go to the website at https://hosted-pages.id.me/colorado-dle-identity-proofing. Make sure you use the email address associated with your Colorado UI+ account.

2. Select “Verify with ID.me.” 

3. Create an ID.me account.

4. Secure your account.

5. Verify your identity.

You’ll need either two primary identification documents or one primary and two secondary identification documents. Military ID cards, employer ID cards and temporary forms of ID aren’t accepted.

You’ll need to prove your identity during the online ID.me session. Proving your identity requires uploading a photo of your government ID and taking a selfie. The selfie is used to create a biometric file to ensure only the unemployment insurance account holder can access the account and apply for benefits. 

What’s the actual process to complete the ID.me requirements? The next actions assume you use primary, rather than secondary, forms of identification. While you are logged in to your account, complete the following steps:

1. Indicate what form of primary identification you’ll use.

2. Either upload existing photos from your desktop or type in the number of a cell phone that can take pictures. If you choose to take pictures with your phone, ID.me will text you a secure link that will open your phone camera.

3. Follow the provided instructions to take pictures of your chosen ID (front and back).

4. Follow the instructions to take a video selfie.

5. Enter your Social Security number.

Once you’ve completed these steps, follow the prompts to accept the conditions and finish the process. The ID.me website has a “help” box you can use if you’re having problems or don’t have a cell phone or computer. If you prefer speaking to a person, call the CDLE at (303) 318-8000, but expect long wait times.