For those asking about Claimyr - they don't require any sensitive personal info. They just need your phone number to connect the call. Once you're connected to DEO, you deal directly with DEO like normal. I was skeptical too, but after trying to get through for weeks on my own, I was desperate. The DEO agent I spoke with was able to see that my ID.me verification hadn't properly linked to my CONNECT account (even though I'd completed it), which was causing my payments to be held. She fixed it while I was on the phone.

One more tip about calling DEO - if you select the option for "PIN reset" rather than "claim questions," the wait times are often much shorter (10-15 mins vs hours). When you get an agent, just explain your actual issue. They can usually help with most problems or transfer you if needed. I've used this trick twice successfully.

Just following up on my earlier comment - if the morning calls still don't work, another approach is to visit a CareerSource Florida center in person. They have direct lines to DEO specialists and can sometimes get issues resolved that are impossible over regular phone lines. Not all locations offer this service though, so call your local center first to ask if they have DEO assistance available.

UPDATE: IT WORKED!!!! I followed the advice from this thread (especially asking for a Tier 2 specialist and mentioning "week availability restriction") and FINALLY got it resolved! Called at 7:32am, used option 5-7-3, waited about 15 minutes, and got a really helpful agent. She immediately knew what was wrong when I used those specific terms. My weeks from March/April are now showing as available to claim in my CONNECT account! Thank you all SO MUCH for the help - especially the former DEO employee who explained exactly what to say. For anyone else dealing with this issue, the key was definitely getting to the right department and using the correct terminology.

i just got lucky with a nice lady who seemed to know what she was doing. but i did say something like "can you please check if theres any specific error codes or issues that might be easy to fix" and thats when she found it. i think being super polite helped too even tho i was freaking out inside lol

I called again today and got through after only 6 attempts! The agent I spoke with was much more helpful. She said my claim had a "wage verification hold" that needed supervisor approval. She put in a request for supervisor review and gave me a confirmation number this time. Said I should see movement within 3-5 business days. Fingers crossed this actually works! Will update when I know more.

I spoke with a DEO agent yesterday (finally got through after using Claimyr), and they confirmed that the system automatically suspends regular benefits when you apply for extended benefits prematurely. The agent needs to: 1) Cancel your extended benefits application 2) Remove the suspension flag from your account 3) Reinstate your regular benefits Once they do this, your account should return to normal within 24-48 hours. Make sure they also check if there are any outstanding fact-finding questions or identity verification issues that might be complicating things.

Just as a follow-up for anyone reading this thread in the future: To avoid this issue, you should wait until your regular benefits are completely exhausted before applying for any extended benefits programs. The CONNECT system will actually notify you when you're eligible to apply for extensions through your message inbox. Always check for these notifications rather than applying proactively. Also, remember that extended benefit programs are not always available - they depend on federal funding and state unemployment rates. The DEO website should have the most current information about which programs are active.

btw does anyone know if u can use indeed applications for the work searches even when u already have a job lined up? seems easier than other options

One more important thing: once you start working, don't forget to file your final weeks! You can still claim for the partial week when you start working (just report any wages earned). Many people make the mistake of just stopping their claims once they start working, but you should properly close out your claim by claiming all eligible weeks, even partial ones.

Besides what everyone else mentioned, check if your payment method accidentally got switched to the Way2Go debit card instead of direct deposit. Sometimes when you update banking info, the system glitches and reverts to the default card option. Happened to my cousin and she was checking her bank account for weeks while the money was sitting on a card she never activated.

One additional note - after the first payment goes through following your bank change, make sure your next claimed weeks don't have any issues. Sometimes there can be a cascade effect where the first delay triggers additional verification requirements. If you don't receive your payment by next Tuesday (which would be 7 business days), then you should definitely contact DEO directly to ensure there isn't something else going on with your claim.

i feel ur pain the deo system is trash

UPDATE: I wanted to let everyone know what finally worked for me! I tried everything suggested here - early morning login, clearing all data, different devices, even the CareerSource visit (they tried but couldn't fix it). What FINALLY worked was the Claimyr service someone recommended. I was really skeptical about paying for something like this when I'm already broke, but after 7 weeks of no progress, I was desperate. Got connected to a DEO agent in about 25 minutes. Turns out there was a "system flag" on my account from when I had reported working part-time back in May. The system never processed it correctly, causing the technical error loop. The agent manually cleared it and reset my claim. I was able to claim my weeks immediately after! Now just waiting for the payments to process. THANK YOU everyone for your help during this nightmare!!!

I'm still fighting with them over MY backdated weeks from JANUARY! Every time I call they tell me something different. One agent says it's approved, next one says there's no record of the request. Another says I need to submit more documentation. Then the next says everything looks fine just keep waiting. I'M GOING INSANE DEALING WITH DEO!!!!!

It sounds like your case might be stuck in limbo between departments. This happened to me too. Ask specifically to speak with a Tier 2 agent or someone from the \

Just checking back - any updates? Did that email to the fraud department work or did you end up trying Claimyr? I'm dealing with a similar issue (though mine is stuck in monetary determination, not fraud) and trying to figure out the best approach.

congrats!! im still waiting on mine... been 6 weeks now. gonna try that claimyr thing tomorrow.

One other important step - have your son create an account on the CONNECT system immediately using his own information. This will help him monitor the fraudulent claim and potentially block the scammer from making changes. When he logs in, he should be able to see the claim details which might give clues about how the fraud happened (like which previous employer is listed). Also, make sure he files IRS Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit) to prevent tax issues down the road.

hey just wondering did u end up getting this fixed? my bro just got the same thing happening to him last week and we dunno what to do