How to cancel an incorrect EDD claim? Local offices keep redirecting me in circles!
I really messed up my initial unemployment claim (wrong employer info and incorrect dates) and need to start over completely. Called my local EDD office in Merced and they told me I have to physically go to the Bakersfield office to cancel the claim. Drove 90 minutes to Bakersfield today only to be told they can't help and only Sacramento can handle claim cancellations! This feels like a ridiculous runaround. I've tried calling the main EDD number 35+ times over 3 days but can't get through - just disconnects after the automated message about high call volume. There must be a simpler way to cancel an incorrect claim? Has anyone successfully cancelled and restarted a claim without this wild goose chase between offices? I'm worried about getting flagged for fraud if I just file a new claim without cancelling the incorrect one.
19 comments
Join the conversation
Mia Green
Unfortunately, this is a common issue. The only way to officially cancel a claim is by speaking with an EDD representative by phone. Local offices typically don't handle claim cancellations - they mostly deal with in-person ID verification and general information. Keep calling the main 833 number and try right when they open at 8:00am. Mondays and Tuesdays are the worst days to call. Try Thursday around 1:30pm when call volume tends to dip a bit. Alternatively, you can submit a written request through UI Online under 'Contact EDD' explaining you need to cancel your claim due to incorrect information, but honestly, phone is faster. They'll need to verify your identity before cancelling the claim.
0 coins
Sophia Rodriguez
•Thanks for clarifying that local offices can't actually help! So frustrating that nobody could just tell me that instead of sending me driving all over the Central Valley. I'll keep trying the phone. Do you know if there are consequences for having an incorrect claim out there while I'm trying to reach someone?
0 coins
Emma Bianchi
i had the same issue last yr... drove to 2 diffrent offices and wasted gas money. its IMPOSIBLE to get EDD on da phone, i tried for 3 weeks str8. ended up using claimyr.com and got connected with a rep in like 20 mins. they have a demo video: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km that shows how it works. the rep canceled my wrong claim and helped me submit a new 1 while i was on the phone with him. worth every penny cause i was bout to giv up
0 coins
Lucas Kowalski
•Claimyr is a SCAM. They just auto-dial for you. You can do that yourself with an auto-dialer app. And they don't guarantee you'll actually speak to someone. I paid them and still never got through. WASTE OF MONEY.
0 coins
Emma Bianchi
•not my experience. worked 4 me when nothing else did after weeks of trying. sorry it didnt work 4 u but dont call it a scam just cuz u had bad luck
0 coins
Olivia Martinez
•I used Claimyr too and it worked great for me. Got through in about 30 minutes after spending two weeks trying on my own. The EDD rep was able to cancel my incorrect claim and guided me through refiling with the correct information. Best $20 I ever spent after wasting so much time and gas driving to offices that couldn't help.
0 coins
Charlie Yang
There's a lot of misinformation here. Let me clarify the official process: 1. You CANNOT cancel a claim by visiting a physical office. Offices primarily handle ID verification and limited in-person services. 2. The proper procedure is to contact EDD by phone at 1-833-978-2511, explain the situation to a tier 2 claims specialist (not all representatives can cancel claims). 3. You can also submit a written request through your UI Online account under Contact EDD > Claims Questions > Select "Cancel my claim" as the category. However, this typically takes 7-10 business days for processing. 4. If you filed with incorrect information, do NOT file a second claim without cancelling the first. This can trigger an automatic fraud investigation. 5. Keep detailed records of all your attempts to contact EDD (dates, times) as this will help if there are any issues later. Be persistent with calling. The system is designed to be difficult, but it's not impossible.
0 coins
Grace Patel
•OMG thank u for explaining this!! I'm pretty sure the lady at the Bakersfield office KNEW she couldn't help but just didn't want to deal with me. So frustrating how they treat us like we're stupid. I'll keep trying the phone.
0 coins
ApolloJackson
This happened to me, sent me all over the place too lol. Finally got thru on the phone after like calling 60 times (not exaggerating). The trick is to call at exactly 8:01am not 8:00 because everyone calls right at 8. Once I got thru they cancelled my claim in like 5 minutes and I was able to refile with the correct info that same day. Just keep trying!
0 coins
Sophia Rodriguez
•60 calls?! 😱 I'm losing my mind after 35 attempts, but I guess that's what it takes. Did it matter which options you selected in the phone menu? I've been choosing 1-2-4 but always get the same "we're experiencing high call volume" message before it hangs up.
0 coins
Lucas Kowalski
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU GIVE UP!!! I swear they train these people to give you the runaround. My cousin works for the state (not EDD) and says EDD reps have quotas for how many claims they need to DENY each month! That's why they send you in circles between offices - they're hoping you'll just give up. I spent THREE MONTHS trying to fix an incorrect claim last year and ended up having to involve my state assembly member's office to get it resolved. Call your local assembly member - they have dedicated EDD liaisons who can actually get things done!
0 coins
Charlie Yang
•This is false information. EDD representatives do not have quotas for denying claims. While contacting your assembly member can sometimes help with very delayed or complex cases, it's unnecessary for a simple claim cancellation. Please don't spread misinformation that makes the process seem more intimidating than it already is.
0 coins
Lucas Kowalski
•IT'S NOT MISINFORMATION! My cousin LITERALLY works for the state and told me about the quotas. Just because you haven't heard about it doesn't mean it isn't happening. The assembly member route worked for me when NOTHING else did for 3 months.
0 coins
Isabella Russo
yo just wondering... what happens if you just abandon the incorrect claim and file a new one anyway? asking for a friend lol
0 coins
Mia Green
•This is a very bad idea. Filing multiple claims can trigger an automatic fraud flag in their system. This can lead to your benefits being frozen, potential overpayment notices, and in severe cases, fraud penalties including fines. Always properly cancel an incorrect claim before filing a new one.
0 coins
Sophia Rodriguez
UPDATE: Finally got through to EDD after 3 more days of trying! For anyone with the same issue - I called at 8:03am (not right when they opened), selected options 1-2-4, then 3-4 when prompted. The rep was actually really helpful and cancelled my claim in about 10 minutes. She said I needed to wait 24 hours before filing a new claim with the correct information. What a relief! Thanks everyone for your advice.
0 coins
Grace Patel
•congrats!!! so jealous you got through. i'm still trying ðŸ˜
0 coins
Mia Green
•Great news! Thanks for updating the thread with what worked. This will help others in similar situations.
0 coins
Yuki Sato
Glad you got it resolved! Your experience matches what I went through last month - the phone system is definitely the only way to cancel claims, despite what the local offices might tell you. For future reference (and for others reading this), I found that calling on Wednesdays around 2pm also worked well - seems like there's a brief lull in call volume then. The 24-hour waiting period before refiling is standard procedure to make sure the cancellation processes completely in their system. Hope your new claim goes smoothly with the correct information!
0 coins