As someone who went through the SDI process recently, I can confirm this is definitely a scam. The timing is the biggest red flag - EDD doesn't move that fast on anything, especially not setting up online accounts for paper filers. When I filed my paper claim in January, it took almost 3 weeks before I got my first legitimate communication from EDD, and that was just an acknowledgment letter. The ID.me setup only happened when I manually created my SDI Online account weeks later. That sender email you mentioned (id-support@id.verify-benefits.com) is a classic phishing domain - real EDD emails always come from ca.gov addresses. Good catch on not clicking anything! One thing that helped me during the waiting period was signing up for USPS Informed Delivery so I could track when actual mail from EDD was coming. All legitimate SDI correspondence initially comes by postal mail for paper filers, not email. Might give you some peace of mind while you wait for your real claim updates.

I'm so glad you posted about this and didn't fall for it! I actually work for a nonprofit that helps people navigate disability benefits, and we see these phishing attempts ALL THE TIME. The scammers have gotten really good at timing these emails right after people file claims - they're basically preying on people when they're most vulnerable and anxious about their benefits. A few additional red flags for anyone reading this: legitimate EDD will NEVER ask you to "verify your identity" through email links, and they definitely don't use urgent language like "Your account will be suspended" or "Immediate action required." Real government communications are usually pretty boring and bureaucratic in tone. Also want to echo what others said about the ca.gov domain - that's the golden rule. If it doesn't end in .ca.gov, delete it immediately. I tell all my clients to bookmark the official EDD website and only access their accounts that way. You did everything right by questioning it and calling EDD to verify. Hope your recovery goes smoothly and your claim gets processed without any real issues!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue! My hyphenated last name is 26 characters and the online form just cuts it off completely. It's so frustrating that their system can't handle something as basic as longer names in 2025. I submitted my paper application a few days ago and have been worried about not having online access to track my claim. Reading through all these success stories gives me so much hope! It sounds like calling with my paper confirmation number and explaining the character limit issue is definitely the right approach. I'm planning to call first thing Monday morning at 8 AM with all my documents ready. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread has been incredibly helpful and reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with this technical limitation!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My legal name is 28 characters long and the online form just completely rejects it. I've been putting off calling EDD because I wasn't sure how to explain the problem, but reading everyone's experiences here has given me so much confidence. It's incredible how many of us are dealing with this same technical limitation - you'd think they would have fixed this by now! I'm definitely going to follow the advice here and call tomorrow morning at 8 AM sharp with my paper application confirmation number ready. The fact that so many people have successfully gotten their online accounts created manually gives me hope that this will actually work. Thank you all for sharing your stories and tips - this thread has been a lifesaver! I'll update everyone on how my call goes.

I'm new to SDI and this is exactly the kind of info I needed to know! I haven't had any payment issues yet, but my biggest fear is having something go wrong and not understanding what's happening with my benefits. It's really reassuring to see that when EDD does manual processing and your payment day shifts, it's actually a normal part of their system and not a sign that something is broken with your claim. The fact that everyone here confirms it becomes consistent on the new day once it shifts is so helpful. Thanks for asking this question and to everyone who shared their experiences - this gives me so much peace of mind about what to expect if I ever need manual processing done on my claim!

I'm dealing with this exact situation right now too! My SDI payments were coming on Tuesdays for the first month, then last week EDD had to manually process a payment because of some issue with my medical certification. Now I'm sitting here on what would normally be my payment day with nothing in my account. Reading through everyone's experiences here is so helpful - it sounds like I should expect my new payment day to be Wednesday or Thursday based on the pattern others have described. It's really frustrating that EDD doesn't give you a heads up about this when they do the manual processing, but at least knowing it's normal and will be consistent on the new day makes me feel better. I'll wait until Thursday and then call if nothing shows up. Thanks for posting this question - you've helped so many people understand what's happening with their claims!

I'm so sorry you're going through this stressful situation with your son's claim! As a newcomer to this community, I've been reading through all the amazing advice here and wanted to add my voice of support. That technical support line at 1-800-300-5616 that @Lena Schultz, @Yara Nassar, @Mei Chen and many others have mentioned really seems to be the golden solution - it's separate from the regular claims line and they can actually see what's happening behind the scenes with technical issues like this. The timing tip about calling right at 8:00 AM sharp also appears crucial for getting through. I'd definitely check for any pending ID.me verification too, since @Giovanni Colombo and @Mei Chen pointed out that this is often a hidden cause of disappearing claims. Also worth trying the simple fixes like clearing your browser cache and using a different browser - sometimes it really is just a display glitch. It's incredibly frustrating that the system is this broken, but I'm encouraged by all the success stories here where people got their claims restored with full back payments. Your son's claim data is almost certainly still in their system somewhere. Document everything, stay persistent with multiple approaches, and don't lose hope! This community clearly has your back and we're all rooting for you and your son to get this resolved quickly! 🙏💪

I'm so sorry you and your son are going through this nightmare - having a claim just vanish is absolutely terrifying when you're depending on those payments! As a newcomer here, I've been reading through all these responses and I'm honestly amazed by the wealth of practical advice this community has shared. That technical support line at 1-800-300-5616 that @Lena Schultz, @Yara Nassar, @Mei Chen and others keep mentioning really seems to be the key - it's apparently separate from the regular claims department and they can actually help with technical issues like disappearing claims. The timing strategies also seem crucial - calling right at 8:00 AM sharp appears to have the best success rate based on multiple testimonials. I'd definitely check for any pending ID.me verification too, since @Giovanni Colombo and @Mei Chen mentioned this is often a hidden cause of claims vanishing without proper notification. It's infuriating that the system is this broken, but I'm really encouraged by all the success stories here where people eventually got their claims restored with full back payments. Your son's claim data is almost certainly still in their system somewhere - it's just not displaying properly on your end. Document everything you can, try different browsers/clear your cache, and don't give up! This community clearly has your back and we're all rooting for you and your son to get this resolved quickly. Please keep us updated on how it goes! 🙏💪

Pro tip: if you're having trouble getting your payment, try reaching out to your local assembly member's office. They can sometimes expedite things with EDD. Worked for me!

Hey @Mei Lin, I went through something similar last month. First thing I'd recommend is logging into your UI Online account and checking if there are any "pending issues" or flags on your claim. Sometimes they put a hold without sending proper notification. Also check if you have any outstanding certification weeks - that's a common cause of delays. If everything looks clear on your end, definitely try the assembly member route that @Connor O'Neill mentioned. It's free and actually works faster than trying to get through to EDD directly. Hang in there, these payment hiccups usually resolve within 1-2 weeks once you get the right person to look at your case!