check ur online account!! sometimes they'll send a message there about why they were trying to reach u

Anyone else think it's crazy that in 2023 they still rely so heavily on phone calls instead of having a functional messaging system in their online portal? Every other government agency seems to be figuring this out except unemployment.

I've been dealing with NY unemployment for over a year now and I've gotten at least 5 of these scam messages. The real department ONLY communicates through your secure message center or by mail. Never by text with links. The scammers are hoping you'll panic and click without thinking. Just ignore it and check your actual account by going directly to the official website.

I just went through the same thing last month! Got a text saying my account was flagged for suspicious activity and I needed to verify my identity. I ignored it and checked my actual account on the labor.ny.gov website directly. Everything was fine, no issues with my account at all. It's definitely a scam.

My neighbor works for ny unemployment (data entry tho not claims) and says they have a MASSIVE backlog right now and are working 6 days a week trying to catch up. At least they're trying I guess...

this post gives me hope but also makes me mad... why are some people waiting 2 months and others 6+ months? makes no sense

Had same issue for 5 weeks. Finally got through by using multiple phones to call at the same time right at 7:30am. Used my cell, wife's cell, and our landline all dialing simultaneously. Landline got through first. It's stupid that we have to use tricks like this but that's NY unemployment for ya.

The unemployment website says average wait time is 12 minutes LMAOOOOO what a joke. I've never waited less than an hour and that's IF I can even get in the queue. Who comes up with these fake stats?

This is why i dont even file for unemployment anymore even when I'm eligible. The system is so broken it's not worth the hassle. My identity was stolen 2 years ago and I'm STILL dealing with the aftermath. Good luck OP, ur gonna need it

Check if the scammer changed your address with USPS too! This happened to me - they filed a change of address form to redirect my mail. Had to go to the post office with ID to fix it. These scammers are thorough 😡

If your letter shows a new BENEFIT YEAR END date, then you've been approved for a new claim period. Check that date carefully - it should be about a year from now if it's a new claim, or the same as your previous benefit year end date if it's just an extension.

WHATEVER YOU DO, SCREENSHOT EVERYTHING AND KEEP ALL LETTERS!!! I've been screwed over by ny unemployment system too many times because I couldn't prove what they sent me. Cover yourself.

When did everyone get ID.me? I had to do that verification last year but my buddy who just filed got the fraud message instead. Seems like they're using different systems for different people??

i stg ny unemployment is actively TRYING to keep people from getting benefits. like they make the system as broken as possible on purpose 🤡

Make sure u have all your documents ready when u finally get through to someone! They asked me for: - Original claim confirmation number - Dates of the missing weeks - Proof I was eligible during those weeks (I used a termination letter with my last day of work) - My current mailing address (even though it hadn't changed) Being super prepared made the process go way faster once I finally got someone on the phone.

I had a somewhat similar situation and what worked was contacting the ombudsman office. Google "ny unemployment ombudsman" and you'll find the contact info. They're specifically there to help with unusual situations that the regular customer service can't/won't handle.

YOUR ROOMATE NEEDS TO CALL THEM!!!!! i went thru same thing, my claim was 'approved' but no backpay came, turns out there was a flag on my account that needed manual override. system is a JOKE. don't just wait!!

The only way I finally got my backpay was through my state representative's office. Call your local assembly member - they have special contacts at unemployment and can expedite claims. Worked for me after 3 months of getting nowhere.

Just to add some context - this is actually a common issue with unemployment systems across several states (not just NY). The system tracks both monetary entitlement AND effective days, and whichever runs out first is what matters. It sounds like you hit your maximum benefit amount before using all your effective days.

My husband went thru something similar. He tried calling for days with no luck. Finally used Claimyr.com after seeing it recommended here, and they got him connected to a rep who fixed everything in 10 minutes. The rep told him the system sometimes automatically closes certifications when you're close to your maximum benefit amount even if you have a few dollars left. Worth checking out if you're struggling to get through on the phones.