Help Us Fight Fraud

The JESF has a charge to investigate businesses that avoid paying payroll taxes, many of which are part of the underground economy. If you would like to help us protect workers and create a level playing field for business competition, the EDD offers several methods for reporting such businesses:

  • Impacted Workers: If you are a worker who has been inappropriately treated as an independent contractor or expected to take cash wages under the table, please contact us to provide information so that we can investigate the business.
  • Impacted Businesses/Competitors: If you are a business and you have information that indicates that another business, competitor or supplier is operating in the underground economy, please contact JESF to supply information so that we can investigate the business.

Call our toll-free hotline: 1–800–528–1783
Fax: 916–227–2772
Online: Submit a Fraud Reporting Form
Mail a UEO Lead Referral/Complaint Form, available in English (DE 660) (PDF), Spanish (DE 660/S) (PDF), and Vietnamese (DE 660/V) (PDF).

View the Help Us Fight Fraud booklet for more information.

You can elect to remain anonymous when providing information on businesses suspected of operating in the underground economy. Due to confidentiality constraints, JESF can never release information about the business or the investigation results.