Are you planning to use the internet to apply for unemployment, or other government programs?

Be careful. A number of people are getting tricked by fake websites.

How do you know if the website is legitimate or not?

Sometimes, its really hard to tell. The designers of these sites often insert logos, images, or language that makes it seem like you are at a legitimate site.

However, one tell tale sign is the web address.

If it does not end in .gov or .wi.us, chances are, it is not an official government website.

Other than the address, are their any other tell tale signs that the website may not be legitimate?

Watch out for websites that:

• Ask you to pay a fee in order to access benefits. You will not have to pay a fee in order to apply for unemployment or most other government programs.

• Also, think twice before providing information on sites that have spelling or grammatical errors, or images that seem fuzzy. And.

• It might also be a good idea to steer clear from sites that seem to lack detailed contact information, privacy or legal policies, or have information that seems vague or like a flashy advertisement.

If you come across what seems to be a bogus website, what should you do?

Try to get out of the website as quickly as possible without clicking on any links or providing personal information.

Report it to your internet service provider, spam@uce.gov, and the government agency that was targeted so that they can warn others to steer clear of these sites.