The North Carolina Industrial Commission has been notified of a sophisticated fraud scheme targeting workers’ compensation claimants across multiple states through the use of official-looking communications and fake hearings.
The scheme involves the impersonation of judicial officials, government employees, attorneys, and other workers’ compensation professionals for the purpose of stealing money from workers’ compensation claimants and other injured workers.
Fraudulent actors have contacted injured workers through multiple channels — including phone, email, text, video call, and social media — convincing them to attend an online workers’ compensation hearing and pay money to receive an award of workers’ compensation benefits or a settlement.
The fraud scheme appears to target Spanish-speaking workers’ compensation claimants and injured workers in particular. Incidents have been reported in several Western and South Central states, as well as in Tennessee.
Important Information for Injured Workers
- Do not make any payment in exchange for workers’ compensation benefits or a workers’ compensation settlement.
- If you are asked to make such a payment, immediately report the incident to the Industrial Commission by emailing fraudcomplaints@ic.nc.gov or calling 881-891-4895.
- If you have concerns about the legitimacy of an email or phone call purporting to be from the Industrial Commission, do not respond to or click any links in the email, and do not give any information to the caller. Instead, call the Industrial Commission Information Specialists at 800-688-8349 or 919-716-1700. They will help you determine whether the communication was legitimate.
- Do not respond to any texts, video calls, or social media requests purporting to be from the Industrial Commission. The Industrial Commission does not contact workers’ compensation claimants by text, video call, or social media
The North Carolina Industrial Commission is committed to protecting the rights of injured workers across the state and will continue to monitor developments related to this scheme.