EDD froze my bank account for overpayment - need urgent help to access my bill money

This happened to me last summer! You need to contact the EDD Benefit Overpayment Section directly at 1-800-676-5737. They're open Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm. Just so you know, they CAN legally put holds on accounts if they determine there was an overpayment, especially if they flagged it as possible fraud. Have you received any official notices in the mail about this overpayment before they froze your account?

thats definitely NOT legal what there doing!!! my cousin had samething happen and he got a lawyer and sued them! your bank account is YOUR property not EDDs!!

I work with EDD cases professionally. What you're experiencing is called a bank levy, which is different from a simple account freeze. EDD can issue these after sending you multiple notices (typically 30, 60, and 90-day notices of potential collection action). You need to contact the Collections Division at 1-800-676-5737 (M-F 8am-5pm). Explain your situation and ask about their Offer in Compromise program if you can't afford to repay the full amount. If you need to get bills paid immediately, you'll likely need to request an emergency release of funds, which they can sometimes authorize for essential expenses like rent. Bring documentation of those expenses when you call. Have you filed an appeal on the overpayment yet? You generally have 30 days from the notice date to file.

Same thing happened to my roomate last year. So stressful!! She was crying for days. Good luck!!

If you're having trouble getting through to EDD on that collections number, try using Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation with an overpayment issue last month and couldn't get through for days. Someone on this forum recommended them, and I was connected to an actual EDD agent in about 15 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km The EDD agent I spoke with was able to see exactly what was happening with my account and process an emergency release for part of my funds while we worked out a payment plan for the overpayment. This situation is definitely something you want to talk to a real person about ASAP!

Important update on your timeline: Since you received the overpayment notice 3 weeks ago and haven't yet appealed, you should file your appeal IMMEDIATELY before calling about the bank levy. Here's why: 1. Filing the appeal doesn't automatically stop collection actions, but it does create a record that you're disputing the overpayment 2. When you call, mention your appeal reference number and explain that you're still within your appeal window 3. Request an immediate partial release of funds based on financial hardship File the appeal tonight online through UI Online if possible. Print or screenshot the confirmation page showing your appeal submission date and time. This documentation will be crucial when discussing your case with collections tomorrow.

This happened to me years ago when i was on unemployment the first time they said i was overpaymented 2865 but i never got that money!!!! i had to prove to them with bank statements that i didnt get it and they finally released my money after 3 WEEKS! make sure u have all ur bank statements ready to show what u actually got vs what they say u got. sometimes its just a system error on there part

I'm glad to see you've already filed your appeal - that was going to be my first recommendation. One thing to add: in addition to calling the Collections Division tomorrow, you should also prepare a written financial hardship statement tonight. Include: 1. Your current income and expenses 2. Copies of bills due in the next 7 days 3. A clear statement that you've filed an appeal and are still within the 30-day window 4. A specific request for the amount you need released for essential expenses Once you're on the phone with an agent, ask for their fax number or email address to send these documents immediately. This speeds up the review process. If you're eligible for an Offer in Compromise, they can potentially reduce the overall amount owed, but that process takes time. For immediate relief, focus on getting a partial release of funds first.

Just checking in - were you able to reach EDD and get any of your funds released? The collections division can be really hard to reach sometimes.

So glad to hear you got through and they're releasing your funds! This is exactly why filing that appeal was so crucial - it shows you're disputing the overpayment in good faith and not just trying to avoid paying. Three business days is pretty fast for EDD too. For anyone else reading this thread who might face a similar situation: the key takeaways are 1) file your appeal ASAP if you're still within the 30-day window, 2) document your financial hardship with actual bills/expenses, and 3) don't give up on trying to reach a real person - services like Claimyr can really help when the phone lines are jammed. Hope your appeal goes well and you can get this whole overpayment issue resolved! Keep us posted on how it turns out.