This exact same thing just happened to my neighbor last month! She got a Wisely card out of nowhere and panicked thinking someone stole her identity (which they did). The most frustrating part is how impossible it is to reach anyone at NY unemployment - she literally took days off work just to sit on hold. What finally worked for her was filing complaints with multiple agencies at once: the FTC identity theft report, a police report, AND contacting her state assembly member's office. The assembly member's office actually has a direct line to the unemployment fraud department and got her case escalated within 48 hours. Don't just rely on one approach - hit them from all angles! Also keep that Wisely card as evidence but definitely don't activate it.

This is absolutely terrifying - I can't imagine how stressful this must be for you! I haven't dealt with this personally but my coworker went through something similar last year. She found out that the scammers had somehow gotten hold of her W-2 information from a data breach at our previous workplace that happened like 2 years ago. The company never even notified us properly about it! One thing she mentioned that really helped was keeping a detailed log of every single phone call, email, and document - dates, times, reference numbers, who she spoke with (if anyone). When she finally got through to someone, having all that documentation made the process go much faster because she could prove she'd been trying to resolve it for weeks. Also definitely check with your current employer's HR department to see if they've had any security incidents. Sometimes companies don't announce breaches right away or they bury it in some random email you might have missed. The scammers are getting this info from somewhere and workplace data breaches are super common now unfortunately 😞 Hope you get this sorted out quickly! Keep us updated on how it goes.

Had this exact same issue last year when I switched carriers! The MFA lockout is so frustrating. One thing that helped me was having all my documents ready before calling - not just SSN and old phone number, but also your last few weeks of claim confirmations if you have them. The tech support person asked for those to verify my identity. Also, if claimyr doesn't work out, try calling right at 7:59 AM - sometimes you can get in the queue before they officially open. The system is definitely broken but you'll get through eventually!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Changed my phone number last week and completely forgot about the MFA setup until I tried to log in yesterday. Been trying to call since then but keep getting the busy signal. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here - definitely going to try the claimyr service and the early morning calling strategy. It's so frustrating that there's no way to update your phone number online, especially when that's literally the thing preventing you from accessing your account. Hopefully I can get this sorted out soon, really need to certify my benefits this week! 😅

Eligible redetermined means they've completed their review and you qualify for benefits. The 'redetermined' part usually happens when there was some initial question about your eligibility that required additional review. Since you filed 6 weeks ago, they probably needed time to verify your employment history or wage information with your former employer.

I went through this exact same thing! "Eligible redetermined" is actually great news - it means they've finished reviewing your case and confirmed you're approved for benefits. The delay you experienced is pretty normal, especially with the 6-week timeframe. In my case, I got my first payment (including all the back payments) about 5-7 business days after seeing this status change. Just keep doing your weekly certifications and check your account regularly. You should see the payment hit your direct deposit or debit card soon!

Just make sure you file your claim right away after your seasonal job ends. Don't wait thinking you need to look for work first - you can start the process immediately and then do your job search while your claim is being processed.

I'm in a similar situation - just finished my seasonal job at a resort in the Catskills. One thing I learned is that you should gather all your employment documents before filing. NYS Department of Labor will want to see your wages from all employers in your base period, not just the seasonal job. Also, if you worked for the same seasonal employer in previous years, that history can actually help establish your work pattern and eligibility. Don't let the seasonal nature of the work discourage you from applying - you earned those wages and paid into the system.

Check if you had any weeks where you certified late or had issues. sometimes they do adjustments months later. mine had a random $400 show up and it was back pay from May that finally got approved in September.

I've been dealing with NY unemployment for months and honestly their system is so unpredictable. Last month I got a random $280 deposit that turned out to be legitimate back pay from a week in April where my claim got stuck in "pending" status. The frustrating part is they never sent any notification explaining what it was for - I had to dig through my payment history to figure it out. My advice would be to screenshot everything and maybe set that money aside for a couple weeks just to be safe. If it was a mistake they'll usually catch it pretty quickly, but if it's legit back pay then you're good to go. The whole system is a mess but at least when they owe you money they eventually pay up!