Identity theft disaster - DEO account shows multiple fake jobs after ID.me verification

You need to act fast on this! You're dealing with what's called an "impostor claim" situation, and it's unfortunately becoming more common. Here's what you should do immediately: 1. File a fraud report directly with DEO through your CONNECT account (look for the fraud reporting section) 2. Call DEO and specifically request to speak with their fraud department - though getting through is nearly impossible these days 3. File a police report in your local jurisdiction 4. Contact the three credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit 5. File a report with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov DEO will investigate but it can take 8-12 weeks, during which your account might be frozen again. The good news is that having documentation from your legitimate employer will help tremendously in resolving this.

omg this happened to my cousin last yr!!! took him like 4 months to fix everything and he had to keep sending the same docs over and over. DEO is the WORST with this stuff srsly

I went through something similar in January. The DEO system is ABSOLUTELY USELESS when it comes to identity theft. I spent WEEKS trying to get a human on the phone who could actually help me. Every time I called, I got disconnected or was on hold for hours just to speak with someone who couldn't access the fraud department. The worst part? Those fake employers will get notices about your "claim" and might contest it, which creates EVEN MORE adjudication issues. The system is BROKEN!!

Identity theft in the unemployment system is definitely frustrating, but there's a clear process to resolve it. In addition to filing fraud reports, make sure you're documenting everything. Take screenshots of the incorrect employment history in your CONNECT account before it potentially changes. For your legitimate claim, you'll need to go through an adjudication process where a DEO examiner reviews your documentation and makes a determination. They'll separate the fraudulent activity from your legitimate claim, but yes, this will likely delay your benefits. DON'T contact the fake employers yourself - this should be handled through official channels only. Let DEO and law enforcement handle that part.

I had identity theft on my claim last year after someone hacked my CONNECT account. Called DEO for 3 weeks straight with no luck getting through. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to a DEO agent within 30 minutes. The agent flagged my account for the fraud department and I got it resolved within 2 weeks. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj Worth it when you're dealing with fraud because you need to talk to an actual person who can escalate to the right department.

Make sure u freeze ur credit reports 2!! I had something similar happen & even after reporting to DEO, the same person tried opening credit cards in my name. It's usually not just unemployment they're targeting if they have ur personal info. Call Experian, Equifax & TransUnion ASAP!!!

One important thing to mention - when you're uploading your documentation to CONNECT, be extremely specific in naming your files and use the notes section to clearly explain what each document proves. For example, "Paystub_CompanyName_Jan2025_ProofOfLegitimateEmployment.pdf" The DEO examiners are dealing with hundreds of cases, so making it extremely clear what you're providing helps speed up the resolution. Also, if you have any official tax documents like W-2s from your legitimate employer, those carry more weight than paystubs alone.

did u check ur tax situation too? my friend had this happen and the fake employers reported income to the IRS so his taxes were all messed up! might want to get an Identity Protection PIN from the IRS website just to be safe

Just an update on my situation I mentioned earlier - it took almost 10 weeks, but DEO finally cleared the fraudulent claims from my account. Had to submit the SAME documents FOUR different times because they kept "losing" them. The system is completely BROKEN but it does eventually get resolved if you're persistent enough. Just prepare for a long battle with bureaucracy.

While you're waiting for DEO to resolve this, make sure you keep claiming your weeks as normal (if you're eligible). Document each time you claim weeks with screenshots. Also, check your CONNECT inbox daily for any fact-finding questionnaires or requests for additional information - these often have strict deadlines. If your legitimate claim gets denied during this process, remember you have the right to appeal within 20 days of the determination. Many identity theft victims have to go through the appeal process to get their legitimate benefits. Lastly, if more than 3-4 weeks pass without any updates on your fraud report, contact your state representative's office. They often have dedicated staff who can help expedite DEO issues.