DEO identity theft disaster - can't stop fraudulent payments since February

I went through this exact nightmare last year. The DEO fraud department is separate from regular claims, and they're extremely slow. You need to specifically request a 'fraud investigation' not just report it. Call 1-800-342-9909 and choose the fraud option, then insist they transfer you to a fraud investigator (not just take a report). Also, file a report with the FTC at identitytheft.gov which creates an official Identity Theft Report. Take that to your local IRS office too - they can flag your SSN. It took me about 3 months to get it resolved completely.

This happened 2 me 2! TOTAL NIGHTMARE!!! Had 2 get a PIN number from IRS to even file taxes & they still sent me letters saying I owe $$$ for unemployment I never got!!! DEO is USELESS - try FTC identity theft hotline & freeze ur credit ASAP. The DEO kept telling me 'case under review' for 6 MONTHS while fraduster kept claiming!!

I work in accounting and deal with this frequently with clients. You should take these steps immediately: 1. Call the DEO fraud hotline (1-800-342-9909) 2. File IRS Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit) 3. Contact your employer's HR to ensure they're responding to all DEO inquiries stating you're employed 4. Get a PIN from the IRS for future tax filings 5. Send a certified letter to DEO Fraud Department (specific address on their website) Most importantly, document EVERYTHING - dates, times, who you spoke with. Florida's system is notorious for losing track of fraud cases.

I tried calling DEO for weeks about a similar issue (someone filed using my info from a previous data breach). IMPOSSIBLE to get through their phone system! I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with an actual fraud department agent instead of waiting on hold forever. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj Finally got someone who could flag my account as fraudulent and start the investigation process. Still took about 6 weeks to resolve completely, but at least I got it started instead of getting disconnected constantly.

My cousin works for careerSOURCE and says DEO is completely backed up with fraud cases right now. They're prioritizing ones where the person is getting current payments over closed cases. Make sure when u report it ur clear that payments are STILL going out, not just that it happened in the past. That might get u faster attention.

anyone else notice how DEO fraud skyrocketed after they started using ID.me? ironic since it was supposed to PREVENT fraud lol. system is completely broken.

UPDATE FOR EVERYONE: As of January 2025, DEO has a new dedicated fraud resolution team. If you call the main DEO number (not the fraud line), ask for "Special Fraud Resolution Unit" specifically. They have a separate queue and dedicated staff. I just helped my brother-in-law with this last month - his case was resolved in 3 weeks versus the 3+ months it took me last year. They also now have a specific email: DEO.FraudResolution@deo.myflorida.com where you can send all your documentation directly.

One additional critical thing - make sure you request a "Benefits Non-Receipt Affidavit" form from DEO. This specific form is what triggers them to issue a corrected 1099-G for tax purposes. Many people get the fraud resolved but still have tax issues because they never completed this specific form. The IRS will want to see this if you need to dispute the tax implications.