ID theft with EDD - how to report when fraud line never answers?
Someone stole my identity and filed for unemployment using my information! I've gotten 3 claim notices in the mail already and I'm freaking out because I'm still employed. I tried the fraud reporting option on the EDD website but keep hitting dead ends. Called the fraud hotline about 20 times and it's either busy or disconnects me. I'm worried this will mess up my taxes or that I'll be held responsible somehow. My employer even contacted me saying EDD reached out to verify my "unemployment" status. Has anyone successfully reported identity theft with EDD? Is there a special email or another department I should contact? This is so frustrating!!
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James Maki
I went through this exact nightmare last year. The regular fraud line is completely useless - they're overwhelmed with cases. Here's what actually worked for me: 1. File a police report with your local PD (they'll give you a case number) 2. Email identitytheft@edd.ca.gov with your case number and ALL details 3. Send a written letter via certified mail to EDD Fraud Investigation Division The email response took about 3 weeks but they stopped the payments. Also file an identity theft report with the FTC at identitytheft.gov and put a fraud alert on your credit reports. If you're still struggling to get through to anyone, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to actually get a live person on the phone. They have this service that calls EDD for you and connects you when they reach an agent. Saved me hours of redial hell. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km
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Kayla Morgan
•THANK YOU! I didn't even know about that special email address. I'm definitely going to try all these steps. Did you have any issues with your taxes after this happened? That's my biggest fear right now.
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Jasmine Hancock
omg this happend to me to!! its so anoying they never answer the phone. i tried for 2 weeks straight to get someone. file police report first thats what they told me when i finaly got thru
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Kayla Morgan
•How did you finally get through? Did you just keep calling or did you try a different number?
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Jasmine Hancock
•i just kept calling and calling from like 8am until i got someone. took forever tho. like over 100 calls probably
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Cole Roush
I'm an HR manager and we've had several employees deal with this. The EDD's fraud reporting system is completely inadequate for the volume they're handling. Beyond the standard advice already given, contact your company's HR department immediately. They should flag your account in their system and contest any unemployment claims filed in your name. Also, send a written statement to EDD via certified mail to: Employment Development Department PO Box 826880, MIC 83 Sacramento, CA 94280-0001 Include your full name, last 4 of SSN, contact information, and a clear explanation that you are employed and did not file for benefits. Request written confirmation that the fraudulent claim has been terminated. Most importantly, monitor your credit reports and consider putting a freeze on your credit. Identity thieves who have enough info to file unemployment often attempt other types of fraud.
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Kayla Morgan
•I didn't even think about talking to HR! I'll reach out to them today. I'm worried this person has all my personal information - do you know if EDD will tell me what information was used to file the claim? Or how the identity thief accessed my information?
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Cole Roush
•Unfortunately, EDD typically won't share specifics about what information was used in the fraudulent claim, citing their own privacy protocols (ironically). This is why it's crucial to put fraud alerts on your credit reports with all three bureaus. I also recommend filing an Identity Theft Report with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov as they can provide you with a recovery plan specific to your situation.
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Scarlett Forster
this happened to my sister and she waited like 3 months before taking care of it and ended up with a HUGE tax problem. dont wait!!!!! the irs sent her a bill for taxes on benefits she never got!!
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Arnav Bengali
•This is absolutely correct - EDD will issue a 1099-G tax form for all benefits paid out in your name, even if fraudulent. If you don't get this resolved before tax time, the IRS will expect you to pay taxes on benefits you never received. Make sure to specifically request a corrected 1099-G once the fraud case is resolved. EDD won't automatically issue one in many cases unless you specifically ask for it.
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Sayid Hassan
I'VE BEEN FIGHTING THIS FOR 5 MONTHS!!! EDD is completely useless and I'm about to lose my mind. Their "fraud department" is a JOKE. I've sent 8 emails, 5 certified letters, called 100+ times, and I'm STILL getting notices about "my claim" that I NEVER FILED!!! Just yesterday I got a letter saying I need to do a phone interview for a claim I never filed! The system is BROKEN!!! I've filed police reports, FTC reports, credit freezes, everything! Still waiting for them to fix this mess. My advice - document EVERYTHING. Every call, every email, every letter. You'll need it when you have to prove you tried to report it.
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Kayla Morgan
•That sounds absolutely nightmarish! I'm so sorry you're dealing with this. Did you ever try reaching out to your state representative? I've heard sometimes they can help cut through bureaucratic red tape.
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Sayid Hassan
•I finally contacted my state assembly member's office last week. Their staff has a dedicated EDD liaison who's supposed to be helping. I'll update if it actually works. Should have done it MONTHS ago instead of trusting EDD to handle it properly.
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Arnav Bengali
Identity theft with EDD claims became epidemic during the pandemic and unfortunately their systems haven't improved much. Here's the current process for reporting identity theft (as of 2025): 1. File a fraud report directly on the EDD website: https://askedd.edd.ca.gov/ - Select "Report Fraud" category - Select "Report Identity Theft" subcategory 2. Call the EDD Fraud Hotline at 1-800-229-6297 (yes, it's hard to get through, but legally you should try) 3. File a police report in your jurisdiction 4. Report to the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov 5. Contact all three credit bureaus to place a fraud alert 6. If you receive any tax forms (1099-G) for benefits you didn't receive, contact EDD's Tax Branch at 1-866-401-2849 I recommend sending all correspondence via certified mail with return receipt requested. This creates a paper trail proving you attempted to resolve the issue promptly. For the fastest resolution, try contacting your state assembly member or state senator. Their offices often have staff dedicated to resolving EDD issues for constituents.
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Kayla Morgan
•Thank you for this comprehensive list! I hadn't thought of reaching out to my state representative. I'll try the identity theft email first and then move on to these other steps. Really appreciate the detailed response!
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Rachel Tao
Has anyone tried the ID verification through [ID.me](http://ID.me) to prove you're not the one filing the claim? I wonder if that would help in this situation?
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Arnav Bengali
•ID.me verification is primarily used for legitimate claimants to verify their identity when applying for benefits. In identity theft cases, the fraudster may have already completed some form of verification using stolen information. However, contacting ID.me's support to report the fraud is still worthwhile, as they can flag the account created with your information. Their support page for handling identity theft is: https://help.id.me/hc/en-us/articles/360054639554-What-do-I-do-if-my-identity-has-been-stolen-
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