TEMPLE, Texas — Temple native Mathew Edaeparayil was one of the thousands of people who applied for unemployment benefits in January of 2021.
He assumed he wasn't approved because he hadn't heard anything back. That is until just recently.
"Two weeks ago I got a letter from Texas Workforce Commission," he told 25 News. "Texas Workforce Commission sent me a letter that said they overpaid by $4,300 and I had to pay them back."
He was given less than a month to pay back the money he never received. He started to investigate and try to find where all of the money went.
"I asked [TWC] 'hey I received this letter, what's going on?' they asked me to verify my name, my address, my telephone number that's on file, and my last four digits," Edaeparayil said. "I verified all of that, but the address didn't match."
His account showed an apartment address in Dallas, a place he never lived or even visited before this.
"When I drove there, in that area, it was very sketchy, very dangerous, didn't feel safe," Edaeparayil said. "I stayed for an hour to see what is going on, what is this, it doesn't make any sense."
Edaeparayil is now working with police and TWC to find a solution and the person who made almost $5,000 off him. TWC denied an interview but did say they would continue to work with him directly.
They also provided some tips to prevent identity theft fraud. That includes creating a complex password for your account that isn't used for any other log-ins. They also recommend being careful to not click any links in unsolicited texts or emails. Finally, they urge people to report fraud immediately.
Edaeparayil also added a recommendation to opt for direct deposit instead of getting a pre-paid card in the mail
With less than two weeks left until the money is due, he said he's really worried about what will happen next and is worried this could happen again in the future.
"Texas Workforce made me cautious about providing my identification online or by email," he said.
