I'm dealing with this exact same nightmare! My old college email got deactivated after I graduated last year and I've been locked out of my EDD account for over 2 weeks now. This thread has been absolutely incredible - I had no idea about the Trusted Referee video call option or any of these technical workarounds! Based on everyone's advice, I'm planning to try the video call first thing tomorrow morning using incognito mode with all my documents ready (driver's license, Social Security card, utility bill). The tips about clearing browser cache, not navigating away during the wait, and starting early morning for shorter wait times are exactly what I needed to know - I definitely would have made those mistakes otherwise! If the Trusted Referee call doesn't work out, it's really reassuring to know that creating a new ID.me account and using Claimyr to reach EDD is a solid backup plan. The fact that multiple people have confirmed EDD agents are understanding about the dual account situation when you explain the email access issue gives me so much confidence. This whole system is ridiculously broken but I'm so grateful for everyone sharing their real experiences and specific technical solutions here. This thread should honestly be stickied as a resource! I'll definitely update with my results to help the next person stuck in ID.me purgatory. Fingers crossed the video call works - really need to get my benefits sorted before rent is due!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My old work email got deactivated about 3 weeks ago and I've been completely locked out of my EDD account since then. This thread has been an absolute lifesaver - I had no clue about the Trusted Referee video call option or any of these technical workarounds that actually work! Reading through everyone's experiences, I'm definitely going to try the video call approach first thing Monday morning. The technical tips about using incognito mode, clearing browser cache, having perfect lighting, and NOT navigating away during the wait are exactly what I needed to know - I would have made every single one of those mistakes otherwise. It's so encouraging to see JaylinCharles's recent success story going from locked out for a month to back in their EDD account within 2 hours once they got the process right. That gives me real hope this can actually work! If the Trusted Referee call doesn't pan out, knowing I can create a new ID.me account and use Claimyr to reach EDD as a backup plan makes me feel like there's actually a clear path forward instead of being stuck in bureaucratic purgatory forever. This whole system is unnecessarily complicated for something as basic as accessing unemployment benefits, but I'm so grateful for everyone sharing their real experiences and specific solutions here. This thread should honestly be pinned - it's better than any official help documentation! Will definitely update with my results to help the next person dealing with this ID.me nightmare.

The UI Online portal is pretty much useless for tracking identity theft cases. I check mine religiously and it never shows any updates - it just keeps showing the fraudulent claim sitting there, which is super frustrating to see every time I log in. Phone calls are really the only way to get actual status updates, but even then you have to get the right department. Regular customer service reps can only see basic info, but the fraud investigators have access to the real case notes. When you call, specifically ask to be transferred to the "identity theft investigation unit" or "fraud department" - don't just accept talking to whoever picks up first. Document every call with date, time, rep name, and what they told you. It's a pain but it's the only way to stay on top of your case.

I'm going through this nightmare right now too! Reading everyone's experiences here has been both helpful and terrifying. I filed my identity theft report with EDD three weeks ago and I'm already losing my mind with the waiting. One thing I wanted to add that I haven't seen mentioned - if you have an existing EDD account from legitimate past claims, make sure to change your password immediately and enable two-factor authentication if available. The scammer who used my info somehow got into my old account and I didn't realize it until I logged in to check the status of my fraud report. Also, for anyone dealing with this - I found it helpful to create a dedicated email folder and document everything chronologically. I have screenshots of every page, confirmation numbers from every call, and I even started recording the hold music times to track when I'm most likely to get through (seems like Tuesday mornings around 8:15 AM have been best for me). This whole situation has made me paranoid about checking my credit report daily. Has anyone else found other accounts or suspicious activity after discovering the EDD fraud? I'm worried this might just be the tip of the iceberg.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who's been through this recently! Your $447 WBA is definitely the gross amount before taxes. With the 10% federal withholding you selected, you'll actually receive about $402.30 per week ($447 - $44.70). I initially made the mistake of not withholding taxes thinking I'd get more money each week, but after calculating what I'd owe at tax time (around $1,800 for the full benefit year), I quickly switched to having it withheld. Much better to budget with the smaller weekly amount than get hit with a huge tax bill later! Also, make sure to verify all your wage information is correct in UI Online - I found they were missing wages from one of my previous employers and my WBA increased by $73/week after I submitted the missing W-2. The extra paperwork was worth an additional $1,900 over my full benefit period!

I just want to echo what everyone has said here - this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation where I just received my award letter and was confused about the tax implications. After reading all these experiences, I'm definitely keeping my tax withholding election. The math is pretty clear: losing $45/week is way better than owing $1,500-$2,000 at tax time. I also had no idea about checking the wage calculations - I worked for three different companies last year (two part-time jobs plus one full-time), so I'm going to log into UI Online today to make sure they have all my W-2 information. It sounds like missing wage data is more common than I thought, and the potential for increasing your WBA is definitely worth the effort to verify. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences - it's so much more valuable than trying to figure this out from the official EDD website alone!

I just went through the Money Network card activation process last week and it was pretty straightforward! I called the number on the back of the card and they asked for my last 4 SSN digits, full birthdate, and the card number/expiration date. Then I created a 4-digit PIN right on the call. The whole thing took about 3 minutes. One thing I didn't see mentioned yet - they also asked me to verify the zip code associated with my EDD account, so make sure you know what address you have on file with them. The automated system was pretty clear and easy to follow. I was able to use my card at an ATM the same day to check my balance and everything worked perfectly. Definitely stick with calling rather than using the website - I tried the online activation first and it kept timing out like others mentioned. The phone method is much more reliable!

I just activated my Money Network card yesterday and wanted to share my experience since I was in the same boat as you - super nervous about the whole process! I called the number on the back of the card and it was actually really straightforward. They asked for my last 4 SSN digits, full birthdate (MM/DD/YYYY format), the card number and expiration date, and like Diego mentioned, they also asked for the zip code on my EDD account. The whole call took maybe 4-5 minutes and I was able to create my PIN during the same call. No email or text verification codes were needed. I tested it at an ATM about an hour later and it worked perfectly! Definitely go with the phone activation - I heard too many horror stories about the website being glitchy. Good luck with yours!

One more thing - when your Money Network card arrives, make sure to activate it immediately AND set up your PIN. I've seen many people delay activation and then face problems when they need to use the card. Also, keep the letter it comes with since it has your account info you'll need for setting up direct deposit later.

Just went through this same situation a few weeks ago! Your old BofA card is definitely dead - EDD completely switched over to Money Network in 2022. The good news is they should automatically mail you the new Money Network card within 5-7 business days after your first payment shows as "paid" (which yours already does). One thing I wish someone had told me - you can actually track your card shipment! Once Money Network processes your card request, they'll send you a text with tracking info if you have your phone number on file with EDD. Also, pro tip: as soon as you get the card, activate it AND immediately set up direct deposit through UI Online. It'll save you so much hassle for future payments. The direct deposit usually kicks in for your next certification cycle, so you won't have to deal with waiting for cards again. Hang in there - I know waiting for that first payment is stressful, especially when you've got rent due!