Need help finding my EDD phone number - which one actually works?

Thank you! I was calling some 855 number I found on a random website. No wonder I wasn't getting anywhere.

Yeah avoid those 855 numbers, they're usually scams or outdated. Stick to the 800 and 833 numbers for unemployment.

How many times do you usually try before giving up for the day?

I usually try about 50-60 times before I have to stop. It's exhausting and my fingers hurt from hitting redial.

50-60 times is rookie numbers. I hit 120 attempts yesterday and still nothing.

Is that legit? I'm desperate enough to try anything at this point.

Yeah it's real. I was skeptical too but it worked. Cost me like $20 but got through in 25 minutes vs the days I wasted calling manually.

I used them too. Worth every penny when you consider the alternative is calling 100+ times a day.

Wait, you can press the numbers before the prompts finish? That could save so much time!

Exactly. You can shave off like 30 seconds per call. When you're calling 80+ times, that adds up.

This is the kind of tip I needed! Every second counts when you're redialing all day.

Seriously? They all take lunch at the same time? That seems crazy for a government agency.

Yep, complete dead zone. I've never gotten through during lunch hours, not once in dozens of attempts.

They should really announce that somewhere. I've wasted so much time calling during lunch.

Good to know! I was planning to start calling early Monday thinking it would be better.

Nope, avoid Mondays if possible. Also don't bother calling after 4pm any day - they seem to stop taking new calls.

Thursday afternoons work well too. But honestly any time requires major patience.

47 attempts in one day? How did you keep track of all that?

I started keeping a log. Dates, times, number of attempts. Helps you see patterns and stay motivated.

That's dedication! I give up after like 20 tries usually.

That's my biggest fear. Waiting for 2 hours just to get disconnected sounds awful.

It's soul crushing. You think you've finally made it then *click* dial tone. Back to square one.

This is exactly why I ended up using Claimyr. Couldn't deal with the dropped calls anymore.

Thanks for clarifying! I was wondering if I should try switching between the numbers.

Nope, save yourself the trouble. Same exact phone system, same hold times, same everything.

I wasted a whole week thinking the 833 number was somehow different. Wish I'd known this earlier.

This is so depressing but probably realistic advice.

Yeah it sucks but that's the reality. Or you can pay someone like Claimyr to do the work for you.

I actually took vacation days from work just to call EDD. That's how bad it's gotten.

Wait, they can call you back outside business hours? How does that work?

They stay on hold during business hours then forward the call to you whenever you want. Pretty clever system.

That's actually brilliant. I've been trying to call during my lunch breaks and it's impossible.

I had no idea you could call before 8am. Does that actually work?

Sometimes! Not always but it's worth trying. Every little advantage helps with these phone lines.

I do the same thing. Set my alarm for 7:30, coffee ready, start dialing at 7:55. Works maybe 20% of the time.

How much does it cost? Is there a guarantee it works?

I think I paid around $20. No guarantee but their success rate is way higher than manual calling. Check out claimyr.com if you want to see their demo video.

I saw that demo video at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 - really shows how their system works. Pretty impressive tech.

This thread has been incredibly helpful. At least now I know what I'm getting into with those numbers.

Good luck! Just remember it's not your fault the system is this broken. Everyone struggles with these phone lines.

Agreed. The phone system is the problem, not the people trying to call. Don't let it stress you out too much.