That is a different situation though. At the time there weren't millions of people flooding your state's unemployment system. So they were able to validate your case and get you the help you needed at the time.
The problem with Covid19 is that states were so overwhelmed they started to just send money to anyone that applied, and that information quickly got around. So, now you have people filing fraudulent claims at a high rate. I can't speak for other states, but I know Texas has a lot of fraud right now. There are people that will literally tell you to your face they are not looking for employment because they are happy with the unemployment they are getting by sitting at home. The jobs are there, they just refuse to apply for it.
Then there are other cases of fraud. My sister, who has been working the entire pandemic as a nurse, received an unemployment letter in the mail, and she was never on unemployment. So someone filed in her name. The whole thing is a cluster fuck.