If your employer paid in to it for you, you get to collect, plain and simple. But, the problem here is, some like to take part time employment for cash under the table and continue collecting. So for some, they actually can make more on unemployment than if they were working.
Unemployment fraud is HUGE. You have people that collect and then get a job and “forget” to inform the unemployment office. And as others have said people collect benefits and work for cash. If caught, they have to pay it back with penalties and interest. There are tip lines in most states to rat these people out.
Also , identity theft is huge in the unemployment benefits world. If I steal your identity I can file for unemployment, collect until it is discovered and have a slim chance of getting caught. There are major theft rings doing this all over the country.
Since there is no face to face contact at the unemployment office anymore it is very easy to do.