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!

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!

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!

I'm really sorry this happened to you Maria - the waiting week policy is one of the most frustrating and poorly communicated aspects of the entire EDD system. You're absolutely right to feel blindsided by this! Unfortunately, as others have confirmed, you won't get paid for that first week at any point - it's essentially a permanent deductible. What makes this especially maddening is that EDD could easily add a prominent warning during the application process, but instead people discover it when they're already counting on that money for basic expenses like rent. It's almost like they deliberately hide this information because they know how upset people would be if they knew upfront. For your immediate rent situation, definitely reach out to your landlord today and explain what happened - most are understanding when you're proactive and can show proof of your unemployment claim. Also look into emergency rental assistance through your county's website - many programs can help bridge this exact gap. One small silver lining: once you get past this initial shock, your payments should come regularly every two weeks. Keep all your certification documentation organized and hang in there - this system is broken but you'll make it through!

I'm so frustrated reading through all these experiences because this exact same thing just happened to me! Filed my claim three weeks ago, finally got through the certification process, and was shocked to see only one week's payment when I was expecting two. Like everyone else here, I had no idea about this "waiting week" policy until I saw the missing money. What really gets me angry is that EDD makes this seem like some kind of secret. There's no clear warning during the application process - you have to dig through dense policy documents or discover it the hard way like we all did. When you're already stressed about losing your job and trying to figure out how to pay bills, finding out you're missing an entire week's payment feels like a punch to the gut. The worst part is they still make you certify for that week - answer all the questions, prove you're actively job searching, meet every single requirement - but then give you absolutely nothing for it. It's like working for free when you're already in financial crisis. Thank you to everyone who shared resources about emergency rental assistance and the 2-1-1 hotline. I had no idea these programs existed, and it's honestly ridiculous that we have to learn about them through community forums instead of EDD providing this crucial information when they know people will be blindsided by the waiting week policy. This whole system needs a major overhaul in how they communicate with people who are already vulnerable!