Be cautious of suspicious messages
Attention firm managers and firm QA managers, please share with your staff so they may share with workers.
Please let us know if your injured workers report they are receiving scam messages.
Message to workers in English:
Injured workers should be cautious if they receive a phone call, email, text message, or social media message from someone claiming to be from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) or the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals (BIIA) and asking them to pay money.
Scammers in other states have falsely told some Spanish-speaking injured workers with pending workers’ compensation claims that they must pay money to receive benefits or move a claim forward.
L&I, the BIIA, and employers do not ask workers to pay upfront fees for workers’ compensation benefits or claim-related services.
If you receive a suspicious message, do not send money or share personal information. Verify before you act. Report this scam through the Washington State Office of the Attorney General’s complaint form, available in English and Spanish.
If you are not sure whether a communication about your workers’ compensation claim is legitimate, please email Carlos Munoz at L&I or call 360-902-4229.
Message to workers in Spanish:
Sea cauteloso con mensajes sospechosos
Trabajadores lesionados deben ser cautelosos al recibir una llamada telefónica, un correo electrónico, mensaje de texto, o mensaje de red social pidiendo que se les page dinero de parte de alguien pretendiendo ser del Departamento de Labor e Industrias del estado de Washington (L&I por su sigla en inglés) o del Consejo de apelaciones del seguro industrial (BIIA por su sigla en inglés)
Estafadores en otros estados se han comunicado con trabajadores de habla hispana los cuales tienen un reclamo pendiente de seguro de compensación para trabajadores y falsamente indican que el trabador tiene que pagar dinero para progresar con el reclamo o para poder recibir beneficios.
L&I, el BIIA, y empleadores no piden que los trabajadores paguen tarifas por adelantado por servicios o beneficios relacionados con un reclamo de seguro de compensación para trabajadores.
Si usted recebe un mensaje sospechoso, no mande dinero o comparta sus datos personales. Verifique antes de tomar alguna acción. Denuncia estas estafas usando el formulario de quejas de la Oficina del Discal General del estado de Washington, disponibles en inglés y español.
Si no estás seguro de la legitimidad que cualquier comunicación sobre su reclamo, por favor mande un correo a Carlos Munoz con L&I o llame al 360-902-4229.
What the scam involves: Scammers in other states have contacted some Spanish-speaking injured workers with pending workers’ comp claims. They falsely claim the worker must pay money to get benefits or move their claim forward.
Key message: L&I, the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals, and employers don’t ask injured workers to pay upfrom fees for benefits or claim-related services.
What customers should do: If a customer gets a suspicious phone call, email, text message, or social media message asking for money or personal information, they should not respond, click on links, send money, or share information.
Verify it: If they are unsure whether a message is legitimate, they – or a representative helping them – can contact Carlos Munoz at L&I.
Report it: Customers can report suspected scams through the Washington State Office of the Attorney General’s complaint form, which is available in English and Spanish.
Suggested talking points:
- “You did the right thing by checking before sending money or sharing information.”
- “You’re not in trouble. Scammers often try to make people feel rushed or pressured.”
- “The most important thing to know is: don’t pay. We don’t ask injured workers to pay upfront fees to get benefits or move a claim forward.”
- “Don’t click on any links, reply to messages, send money, or share personal information.”
- “If you still have the message, keep it. It may help if you decide to report it.”
For questions, send an email to the Vocational Recovery Project inbox.
This memo will be posted to L&I’s “What’s New for Vocational Counselors” web page.
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