Just to update on my experience - after switching from the Money Network card to paper checks last year, it took about 10 business days for the change to take effect. The EDD rep told me any payments issued during that processing period would still go to the card. So if you do end up with a card temporarily, just know it might take a week or two before the checks start coming.

Hey Javier, I went through this exact same situation a few months ago! I also specifically requested paper checks on my initial application but was worried they'd send the card anyway. Here's what worked for me: I called the 1-800-300-5616 number at exactly 8:00 AM on a Tuesday (seemed to have better luck mid-week) and got through after about 45 minutes of waiting. The key was asking them to check if a "payment instrument" had been issued yet - that's their internal term for the Money Network card. In my case, they caught it just in time and were able to confirm my paper check preference was active. The rep also gave me a confirmation number for the payment method change, which I wrote down just in case. My first check arrived about 7-10 business days after my payment showed as "paid" in UI Online. Good luck - definitely call ASAP since timing is everything with this!

This is absolutely infuriating and I'm so sorry you're going through this! The fact that Money Network initially told you they "can't reverse the transaction" is complete BS - they absolutely can and are required to investigate under federal banking regulations. I went through something similar last year (though not as much money) and had to really push back hard on their customer service reps who kept giving me the runaround. One thing that helped me was keeping a detailed log of every single phone call - date, time, rep name, reference numbers, and exactly what they told me. When I escalated to a supervisor and showed them the inconsistencies in what different reps had told me, they suddenly became much more cooperative. Also, if you haven't already, send them a written dispute letter via certified mail in addition to calling. Sometimes the written paper trail gets routed to a different department that's more responsive than the phone reps. Make sure to include phrases like "unauthorized electronic fund transfer" and reference Regulation E - that usually gets their attention. Really hoping you get this resolved quickly, especially with rent due. This kind of fraud is becoming way too common and it's unacceptable that legitimate claimants have to fight so hard to get their own money back.

This is absolutely terrifying! I've been on EDD for about 6 months now and always assumed the Money Network card was safe since it's the "official" method. Reading your story and all these comments has me checking my account obsessively now. I had no idea that fraudsters could somehow bypass the UI Online system and make changes directly through Money Network - that seems like a massive security flaw! The fact that your UI Online still shows the correct payment method but Money Network sent your funds elsewhere is so concerning. Thank you for sharing this even though you're going through such a stressful situation. I'm definitely going to enable all those email notifications and change my passwords tonight. Also bookmarking that EDD fraud number (1-800-229-6297) just in case. Really hope you get your $1,200 back before rent is due. Keep us updated on how the investigation goes - it sounds like you're doing everything right by being so persistent and documenting everything. This community has given you some amazing advice and it's clear you're not alone in dealing with this type of fraud.

Keep us updated on what happens!! This could help a lot of people in similar situations.

This is such a fascinating case from a legal perspective! I'm actually a paralegal who works with bankruptcy cases, and what you're describing sounds like a textbook example of discharge by procedural default. The fact that EDD recouped money AFTER your discharge date is particularly significant - that could potentially be viewed as a violation of the automatic stay provisions. A few thoughts: 1) Document the exact dates of everything - your discharge date, when EDD took the money, when they were notified, etc. 2) Consider reaching out to your bankruptcy attorney again, as this might warrant filing a motion for contempt against EDD for violating the discharge injunction. 3) If EDD's internal appeals process doesn't work, you might need to go back to bankruptcy court. I've seen cases where government agencies had to pay attorney fees and damages for post-discharge collection attempts. Don't let them intimidate you - the law is likely on your side here!

Bottom line: EDD has no official callback system. Your options are manually dial 50-100+ times hoping to get through, or use a third-party service that handles it for you. That's literally it.

Unfortunately, there's no official EDD callback number or system. I've been dealing with this nightmare for months now. The reality is you have three options: 1) Keep manually dialing and hoping you get lucky (I'm at 200+ attempts with maybe 3 successful connections), 2) Use a third-party service like Claimyr that does the calling for you and calls you back when they reach an agent, or 3) Try to time your calls perfectly (avoid lunch hours, call early morning or mid-afternoon on weekdays). It's absolutely ridiculous that in 2024 we don't have basic callback functionality, but that's the broken system we're stuck with. Save yourself the frustration and either commit to spending entire days calling or just pay for a callback service.

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago and totally understand your anxiety about the timeline! Here's what actually happened in my case: The good news is that since you've already completed ID.me verification and have been consistently certifying, you should be in better shape than most people. My certifications took about 8 business days to flip from "Disqualified" to "Paid" after I received my appeal decision letter. However, I ran into the same issue that Abigail mentioned - only got partial payment initially. Turns out there was an automatic "overpayment hold" on my account from when they originally denied my claim. The system thought I owed money back even though I'd never received any payments! I had to call specifically to get that removed. Since you're cutting it close with rent, I'd recommend calling EDD tomorrow and asking these specific questions: 1. Are there any payment holds or block codes on my account? 2. Can you expedite my Money Network card due to financial hardship? 3. What's the exact timeline for my back payments to be released? Also, once you do get the card, you can instantly transfer up to $1,000 per day to your bank account through the app, which might help if you need to pay rent quickly. The transfer usually shows up in your bank account within a few hours. Hang in there - you've made it through the hardest part!

Just wanted to add my experience since I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago. After winning my appeal, it took exactly 9 business days for my certifications to change from "Disqualified" to "Paid" in UI Online. The Money Network card arrived 6 days after that status change. One thing that really helped me was calling EDD the day after I received my appeal decision letter and asking them to put a note on my account about my financial situation. I explained I was at risk of losing my housing and the rep was actually very understanding. She couldn't guarantee faster processing but said she added a "hardship flag" to my account. Also, definitely keep screenshots of your appeal decision letter and check UI Online multiple times per day. When those certifications flip to "Paid," that's when you know the money is actually coming. The waiting is absolutely brutal when you're down to your last few dollars, but you're so close to the finish line now! If your status doesn't change by early next week, definitely call and ask specifically about payment blocks or holds on your account. Sometimes the appeal decision doesn't automatically trigger the payment release and it needs manual intervention. You've got this - congrats again on winning your appeal!