How long does EDD fraud appeal take? Someone filed using my identity!
I just discovered someone filed an unemployment claim using MY information!!! I immediately filed an appeal with EDD explaining this wasn't me who applied for benefits. The EDD rep I spoke with (after calling like 47 times) said they'd mark it as identity theft in their system, but couldn't tell me how long the appeal process would take. I'm freaking out because this could affect my taxes and credit score! Has anyone dealt with identity theft appeals with EDD? How long did it take to resolve? I'm worried this will hang over my head for months... I've already placed fraud alerts with the credit bureaus but I'm still super anxious about the EDD situation.
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Amara Torres
I went through this exact situation last year. The appeal process for identity theft usually takes 45-60 days from when EDD acknowledges receipt of your appeal. Make sure you've done these things: 1. Filed a police report for identity theft 2. Submitted Form DE 1326I (Identity Theft Victim Statement) 3. Contacted the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov 4. Keep copies of ALL communications with EDD The most important thing is following up regularly. The squeaky wheel gets the grease with EDD.
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Elijah O'Reilly
•Thank you!! I did file police report but didn't know about that DE 1326I form! Where do I find it? 45-60 days sounds better than what I was imagining. Did they send you updates during the process or did you just have to wait?
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Olivia Van-Cleve
I had the same thing happen but it took almost 4 months to resolve because my case got stuck in their backlog. The wait time really depends on their current workload. Be prepared for a LONG wait and zero communication from them. Did you submit all your identity documents through ID.me yet? That's also required for them to process the appeal.
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Mason Kaczka
•4 MONTHS?! omg thats insane. i cant believe they leave ppl hanging for that long when its not even ur fault!!!
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Elijah O'Reilly
The ID.me thing is confusing me. If I verify my identity through ID.me, won't that just confirm the fraudulent claim since it's in my name? I'm afraid of doing anything that might accidentally validate the fake claim someone filed. Has anyone had experience with this specific situation?
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Amara Torres
•No, it's actually the opposite. ID.me verification helps EDD confirm YOU are the real person with that identity. This helps them distinguish between the fraudster and the real you. When you verify through ID.me, you're establishing your identity as the rightful owner of your information, which is crucial for the fraud investigation. This won't validate the fraudulent claim - it will help EDD confirm the claim was indeed fraudulent.
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Sophia Russo
If you're having trouble getting through to EDD on the phone to check your appeal status, I'd recommend trying Claimyr (claimyr.com). It helped me finally get through to a real person after weeks of trying. They have a video explaining how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km With identity theft cases, speaking directly to a claims specialist is really important because they can flag your case and sometimes expedite the process. Regular reps can't always see all the details of fraud cases.
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Evelyn Xu
•is that service legit? ive been trying to call edd for 2 weeks with no luck. keep getting the "too many callers" message every single time
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Sophia Russo
•Yes, it's legitimate. I was skeptical too but it saved me hours of redial frustration. Especially for complex issues like identity theft where you need to speak with someone who has authority to actually help with your case.
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Dominic Green
hey i had identity theft last year with my edd account and let me tell you ur gonna wanna document EVERYTHING. take screenshots, get names of reps u talk to, confirmation #s for all calls, etc. my appeal took 3.5 months and they kept "losing" my documents. total nightmare!!! the timeline everyone says is BS, they dont follow it AT ALL
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Elijah O'Reilly
•Oh no, this is what I was afraid of :( I already started a folder with all communications but I'm worried about them losing stuff. Did you have to keep sending the same documents multiple times? And did you eventually get it resolved or are you still dealing with it?
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Dominic Green
•yeah had to send the same stuff like 3x. they finally fixed it but i had to be super pushy. call every week and ask for status updates. make sure u mail stuff certified so they cant claim they never got it
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Hannah Flores
I think people are confusing different EDD appeal types here. For identity theft, there are two processes: 1. The standard appeal process (45-90 days typically) 2. The identity theft investigation (can take 60-120 days) These are handled by different departments. When someone files a claim using your identity, you need to ensure EDD understands you're reporting FRAUD, not just appealing a claim decision. The timelines and processes are different. Make sure you specifically request an identity theft investigation.
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Elijah O'Reilly
•This is so helpful! I definitely told them it was fraud/identity theft when I called, but I'm not sure if they properly categorized it. Is there a specific way to verify they've classified it as an identity theft investigation rather than a standard appeal? Should I call again and ask for confirmation?
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Hannah Flores
•Yes, call again and specifically ask if your case has been classified as an identity theft investigation rather than a standard appeal. Ask for the fraud department directly. They should be able to tell you which department is handling your case and give you a fraud reference number that's different from an appeal number. If they can't confirm this, request to speak with a supervisor who can ensure your case is properly categorized.
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Mason Kaczka
this happened to my cousin and he got a letter from edd saying they fixed it but then he got a tax form saying he got benefits!!! make sure u follow up before tax season or it gets way more complicated!!!
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Elijah O'Reilly
•Yikes! That's another thing to worry about. Did your cousin have to deal with the IRS too? Was he able to get it fixed before filing taxes?
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Amara Torres
Just wanted to follow up on my earlier comment about the DE 1326I form. You can find it here: https://edd.ca.gov/siteassets/files/forms_and_publications/de1326id.pdf Fill it out completely and submit it along with a copy of your ID and the police report. If you mail it, use certified mail with return receipt so you have proof they received it. This form specifically triggers the identity theft investigation process that the other commenter mentioned.
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Elijah O'Reilly
•Thank you SO much for this! I'm going to download and complete this form right away. Should I also upload it to my UI Online account or just mail the physical form?
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Amara Torres
•Do both if possible. Upload to your UI Online account AND mail the physical copy with certified mail. EDD's different departments don't always communicate well, so having the form in both systems increases your chances of a faster resolution. Take screenshots of the upload confirmation screen too.
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Evelyn Xu
my sister works for edd (not saying which office) and she says identity theft cases are taking around 90 days right now bcuz theres so many of them
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Elijah O'Reilly
•That's good inside info! Not what I wanted to hear time-wise, but at least it's realistic. Did she mention if there's anything that can help speed things up?
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