UPDATE: They finally called me back today (16 business days after ID.me verification). The agent was actually very helpful and got everything sorted out in about 20 minutes. She said they're experiencing a 300% increase in verification requests compared to December. Just wanted to give you some hope that they do eventually call!

UPDATE FOR EVERYONE: I finally got through this morning! I took several of your suggestions: 1. Called right at 8:00am 2. Used the specific number and menu options that were suggested (888-209-8124, press 1, 6, 1) 3. Had all my information ready The agent confirmed my ID.me verification was completed but stuck in their system. She manually approved it and pushed my application forward. She said I should receive my first payment within 3 business days, including all the backdated weeks. Thank you all for your help and advice! This community has been amazing.

Update: I finally got through to someone at the Social Security office. They said this letter is just a formality and I won't be getting any additional payment since I already received all my stimulus payments back in 2020/2021. They're just cleaning up their records. So false alarm! Thanks everyone for your help!

My sister got this too and she wasn't even on unemployment! So weird how they're sending these now. Totally unrelated but does anyone know if they're extending NY unemployment benefits again this year? My benefits are almost up and I'm getting nervous...

Just want to update everyone on this thread - I spoke with a NYSDOL rep yesterday about an unrelated issue, and they mentioned they're aware of the CAPTCHA problem. Apparently it's affecting users with certain IP addresses. Their tech team is working on it, but they didn't give a timeline for the fix. In the meantime, they suggested using the mobile app if possible or certifying by phone. Hope this helps!

UPDATE: I finally got it working! After trying literally everything suggested here, what ended up working was using my phone but turning OFF wifi and using cellular data instead. For some reason that made the CAPTCHA appear! I was able to certify for this week. Thank you all for your help and suggestions. If anyone else runs into this problem, try connecting through your cellular network instead of wifi!

yo tambien hablo español! una cosa importante - asegurate que tu nombre este EXACTAMENTE igual en todos los documentos. mi prima tuvo problemas porque en algunos documentos usaba su segundo apellido y en otros no. cualquier diferencia puede causar retrasos!

One more thing to help you with the language barrier - NY unemployment offers Spanish language services! When you call, you can request a Spanish-speaking representative. Also, on the NY.gov website, there's a language selector at the top right corner where you can switch to Spanish. For document submission, all your documents can be in their original format (even if they're in Spanish), but any explanations you provide should be in English or you should request translation assistance.

mine got held too but for only 5 days. depends on your bank i think. chase seems to be the worst with these holds

UPDATE: For anyone finding this thread later, NYSDOL has officially addressed this issue on their website. Banks are placing holds on unemployment recovery checks due to the new security features implemented in January 2025. The official guidance from NYSDOL is: 1. Recovery checks are valid government checks and will clear 2. Standard hold periods range from 5-10 business days depending on your bank's policies 3. If you need immediate verification, contact NYSDOL directly and request a "Check Verification Letter" 4. If experiencing financial hardship due to the hold, you can request an expedited verification According to the latest update, NYSDOL is working with major banks to reduce these hold times in the coming months. If your check hasn't cleared after 10 business days, you should contact both your bank and NYSDOL immediately as this exceeds normal processing time.