CONNECT account locked for 'too many attempts' but I haven't logged in recently - help!

Yep, happened to me last month! DEO's system is GARBAGE and randomly locks accounts for no reason. I hadn't tried logging in for 2 weeks and suddenly was locked out. They claim it's for 'security' but it's really just their broken system. You'll need to call them to get it unlocked - good luck with that nightmare!

This is actually a known issue with the CONNECT system. It can happen if: 1. Your session timed out incorrectly on your last login 2. The system did automatic maintenance and flagged your account 3. Someone else tried accessing your account (possibly identity theft attempt) To fix it, you need to call 1-833-FL-APPLY and specifically ask for the security department to unlock your CONNECT account. Make sure you have your claimant ID and SSN ready.

I had this exact problem two weeks ago. After trying for 3 days to call DEO with no luck, I used Claimyr to get through to an agent in about 20 minutes. The service basically keeps calling for you until it gets through, then connects you. It costs money, but it saved me hours of frustration. I used their website claimyr.com and watched their demo video first: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj. The agent was able to unlock my account in less than 5 minutes once I got through.

Same thing happened to me! I think the system automatically locks accounts after periods of inactivity as a security measure. I called the 1-833-FL-APPLY number probably 50 times before I finally got through. The rep told me they've been getting tons of these calls lately. Apparently there was some system update in March that's causing this issue for a lot of people.

yeah this is a stupid problem with DEO. anytime theres a 'security update' or whatever they just lock a bunch of ppl out randomly. try calling right when they open at 7:30am thats the only way i could ever get thru

My cousin works for a company that helps ppl with DEO claims and he told me this is happening because theres been a lot of fraud attempts lately. The system automatically locks accounts if it detects unusual patterns or if your account hasnt been used in awhile. Its annoying but better than having ur benefits stolen I guess?? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

UPDATE: I got my account unlocked finally! I ended up using that Claimyr service the other person mentioned and it actually worked. Got through to DEO in about 25 minutes (after trying for two days on my own with no luck). The agent said this is happening because of a security patch they installed recently and it's affecting accounts that haven't been accessed in 7+ days. She reset my security questions and unlocked the account right away.

I want to add some helpful information: If you get your account unlocked, make sure you immediately update your PIN and security questions. Also, set a calendar reminder to log into your CONNECT account at least once every 5-7 days (even if you don't need to claim that week) to prevent this from happening again. The system updates typically happen near the end of each month, so that's when accounts are most likely to get locked.

For anyone still having trouble getting through to DEO by phone, here's what worked for me: I called the 1-833-FL-APPLY number repeatedly starting at exactly 7:30 AM on a Tuesday. It took about 45 minutes of constant redialing, but I finally got through to a human. The key is persistence and timing - avoid Mondays/Fridays and don't give up after just a few tries. The agent was actually very helpful once I got connected and unlocked my account in under 10 minutes. They explained that this lockout issue is affecting thousands of accounts due to their recent security updates, so you're definitely not alone in this frustrating situation.

This is so frustrating! I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now - haven't logged into my CONNECT account in about 10 days and now it's suddenly locked for "too many attempts." It's ridiculous that their system punishes you for NOT constantly checking your account. I've been trying to call the 1-833-FL-APPLY number since 8 AM this morning with no luck. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm going to try calling right at 7:30 AM tomorrow on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences - at least now I know this isn't just happening to me and there ARE ways to get it resolved. Will update if I manage to get through!

I'm having this exact same issue right now! Got locked out yesterday after not logging in for about 9 days - the message said "too many login attempts" but I literally haven't tried to log in at all. Really frustrating that their system seems to randomly lock people out as some kind of "security feature." Based on all the advice here, I'm going to try calling right at 7:30 AM tomorrow morning and keep redialing until I get through. It's ridiculous that we have to jump through all these hoops just to access our own accounts, but at least now I know I'm not the only one dealing with this nonsense. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions - this thread has been super helpful!

I'm dealing with this exact same nightmare right now! My account got locked yesterday with the "too many attempts" message even though I haven't logged in for over a week. It's absolutely ridiculous that DEO's system punishes us for NOT constantly checking our accounts - like we're supposed to be refreshing the page 24/7 or something? I've been reading through everyone's experiences here and it sounds like this is happening to tons of people because of some "security update" they did. I'm going to try the early morning calling strategy at 7:30 AM tomorrow since that seems to be when people have the most success getting through. Really appreciate everyone sharing their solutions - at least now I know there's hope of getting this resolved! Will definitely update once I (hopefully) get through to someone. This whole system is such a mess but glad we have this community to help each other navigate it.

This is such a widespread issue! I'm going through the exact same thing right now - got locked out two days ago after not logging in for about 10 days, and like everyone else here, I got that ridiculous "too many attempts" message when I literally haven't attempted to log in at all! It's beyond frustrating that DEO's system treats normal users like potential hackers just for not obsessively checking our accounts daily. I've been trying to call since yesterday with zero success - just endless busy signals and disconnects. Based on all the great advice in this thread, I'm definitely going to try the 7:30 AM strategy tomorrow morning and keep redialing until I get through. It's insane that we have to go through all this just to access our own benefits, but I'm grateful for this community sharing their experiences and solutions. Will update if I manage to get my account unlocked! Thanks everyone for making me feel less crazy about this whole mess.