The worst part about this whole thing is it's IMPOSSIBLE to get anyone on the phone at ny unemployment 😤 I spent literal days trying before I found a workaround. Use claimyr.com - they'll get you a callback from an actual agent instead of waiting on hold forever. Saved me so much stress when I was dealing with fraud on my account.

This is absolutely terrifying and I'm so sorry you're going through this! The combination of fraudulent unemployment claims AND suspicious IRS activity sounds like a major identity theft ring got hold of your information. A few things that stood out to me from your IRS transcript - those multiple refunds and credits from 2020-2021 are definitely red flags, especially the amended return you don't remember filing. The scammers might have been using your identity for tax fraud too, which could explain how they had enough info to file the unemployment claim. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - make sure to contact your state's Attorney General's office about this. They often have special identity theft units and can sometimes expedite cases with DOL. Also, consider signing up for the IRS Identity Protection PIN program if you haven't already - it adds an extra layer of security for future tax filings. The fact that you caught this so quickly is actually really good. Document everything with timestamps and keep pushing to get through to someone at DOL. Don't give up even if it takes multiple attempts. Your quick action could prevent this from getting much worse. Stay strong - you're doing all the right things! 💪

I just found this thread after going through the exact same hell for the past month! I've been stuck in certification limbo with the website crashing every single time I hit submit, and I've probably called close to 100 times with nothing but busy signals or that infuriating automated hangup. The financial stress is becoming unbearable - I'm behind on rent and running out of savings while fighting with a system that seems designed to exhaust us into giving up. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both heartbreaking (seeing how many of us are suffering through this) and incredibly helpful (finally finding actual solutions that work). I'm definitely going to try that automated phone certification number (1-888-581-5812) tomorrow at 6am, plus that button sequence strategy @Aaron shared. If those don't work, I might have to try the Claimyr service since so many people have had success with it. It's absolutely criminal that we need a whole community support network just to access benefits we've paid into and are legally entitled to. But I'm so grateful for everyone sharing their experiences and solutions - this thread is literally a lifeline when the official system completely abandons us. The fact that so many people have eventually broken through gives me hope that persistence will pay off. I'll definitely update with my results!

Just wanted to add my voice to this thread as someone who's been dealing with the exact same issues for the past 3 weeks. The NY unemployment system is completely broken right now - I've made over 90 calls with nothing but busy signals, and the website crashes every single time I try to certify. It's absolutely maddening when you're already stressed about being unemployed and then can't even access the benefits you've paid into. Thank you so much to everyone who's shared their experiences and solutions here! This thread has been like finding a treasure map when you're lost in a maze. I'm definitely going to try that automated phone certification number (1-888-581-5812) tomorrow morning at 6am, along with @Aaron's button sequence strategy (1, then 6, then 1). If those don't work, the Claimyr service seems to be the last resort that actually gets results. It's honestly disgusting that we need an entire community support network just to access basic unemployment benefits, but I'm so grateful this exists when the official system completely abandons us. Reading about everyone's eventual success gives me hope that persistence will eventually pay off. The financial anxiety is real when your safety net is broken, but we're all in this together! Will definitely update if any of these methods work for me.

It's working now! Just logged in successfully. Must have been fixed in the last hour.

Glad to see it's working again! I was having the same issue earlier today and was getting really stressed about missing my certification. For future reference, does anyone know if there's a way to get notifications when the site goes down? It would be helpful to know about outages instead of spending hours thinking it's just my computer acting up.

not to be that person but have u tried turning ur computer completely off and back on? sometimes the simplest fix works. also try a different device like ur phone

Same exact issue here! I've been locked out since Wednesday and tried everything - different browsers, clearing cache, even used my neighbor's wifi thinking it was my internet. The frustrating part is there's no clear error message telling you what's actually wrong. I'm supposed to certify tomorrow and I'm getting really worried about missing the deadline. Has anyone who got this fixed found out what was actually causing it? Like was it account flags, system maintenance, or just random glitches? I'm debating whether to try that Claimyr service people mentioned or wait it out, but I can't afford to miss another week of benefits with rent coming up.

After many failed attempts I finally had success with claimyr.com - they got me connected with a live agent who helped fix my claim. It was worth every penny to finally get my backpay released. Highly recommend if you're desperate like I was.

I'm in the EXACT same boat - filed in January after getting laid off and my certifications keep getting stuck in some kind of limbo. The automated phone system is absolutely maddening! I've been calling multiple times a day for two weeks now and haven't spoken to a single human being. It's honestly making me question my sanity at this point. Reading through all these comments is both helpful and depressing - at least I know I'm not alone in this nightmare. Going to try the Tuesday 10:30am timing and that exact button sequence someone mentioned. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and tips here, even if the system itself is completely broken. Hang in there Isabella - we'll figure this out somehow! 💪