Been victim of fraud in the ny unemployment system, what now?

Oh man, 6 weeks and still no resolution?? That's really discouraging. Did they give you any timeline for when it might be resolved?

Nope, no timeline. Just "we'll contact you" which is about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. I call once a week for updates but usually get nowhere

I've been waiting 8 weeks now. Same situation. Its absolute craziness that they cant seem to do anything about this faster. Like...stop sending $ to random accounts?!

The same thing happened to my cousin! It took almost 3 months before they resolved it. The system is completely broken 🤮

Wait for real? I've been trying to get someone on the phone for weeks. How exactly does this work?

Yeah it actually works! They basically call the unemployment office for you and use some tech to wait in the hold queue. Then they call you when they get a real person on the line. Talking to an actual agent got my case moved up the priority list.

sounds fishy... are you sure this isnt just another scam? the last thing OP needs is MORE fraud problems

Nah I was skeptical too at first but it's just a call service. They don't ask for any personal info about your claim - they just connect you with the DOL. After 3 days of calling myself and never getting through, this got me talking to someone in under an hour.

My brother used this when his claim was stuck for months. Said it was the only thing that actually worked after weeks of trying himself.

Thanks for the advice! I just froze all three credit bureaus this morning. Should I also be worried about my tax return next year? Could they file taxes using my info too?

YES! 100% file an Identity Protection PIN with the IRS. It's free and will prevent anyone from filing a tax return with your SSN. Go to the IRS website and search for IP PIN. Do it now before tax season hits!

I had this happen to me and they did try to file taxes in my name the next year. Definitely get the IP PIN from the IRS!

This is incredibly helpful, thank you! I hadn't even thought about the IRS form. Did you have any issues with your taxes the following year?

You're welcome! Yes, there were issues with taxes - the unemployment office reported the fraudulent payments to the IRS as income under my SSN. I had to file a paper return and include all documentation proving identity theft. It delayed my refund by about 3 months, so be prepared for that headache too. The IRS form is crucial!

Did you have to keep calling the unemployment office regularly for updates or did they eventually contact you?

I had to be persistent. After initially reporting it, I called once a week. Most calls were useless until I used claimyr.com to actually get through to someone helpful. Then I got assigned a specific fraud investigator who gave me her direct number. After that it moved much quicker.

How do you get to a supervisor? I always just get the frontline people who say they'll 'note my account' 🙄

You have to specifically ask to speak to a supervisor or fraud specialist. If they say no, hang up and try again with a different agent. Took me like 5 attempts before someone transferred me.

That's a great idea, I hadn't thought of that. Did you just find your rep online and email them?

Yep! Just google "find my NY state representative" and it'll show you who represents your district. Send them an email with all the details and documentation. They usually respond within a few days. My rep's office called me back the next day and had direct contacts at NYSDOL.

This ⬆️ Local reps are the secret weapon nobody tells you about. They can work magic when you're stuck in bureaucratic hell.

Good point, I'll ask HR about this tomorrow. Did your employer have to do anything specific to help resolve your case?

Yes, my HR department had to submit an employer protest form stating I was still employed full-time. They also provided payroll records proving I was working during the claim period. Definitely get them involved early!

Yep, my cousin works for DOL in another state and said they're STILL dealing with the backlog of fraud cases from the pandemic. It's insane.

I read somewhere that NY alone had over a billion dollars in fraudulent claims. No wonder they can't keep up! 🤯

Did you need an appointment or could you just walk in? I didn't realize in-person was an option.

Most offices require appointments now but some have walk-in hours. Check their website for the location nearest you. Bring ID, the police report, and any other documentation. Much better than phone!

tried this last month and they told me identity theft cases have to be handled by the special fraud unit over the phone 🙄 complete waste of time driving there

Wow that sucks! Must depend on the office. Mine was actually helpful. Maybe try claimyr.com that others mentioned? Seems like it might work better than waiting on hold forever

Thanks for the heads up! How long does it typically take to get the corrected 1099-G once a case is resolved?

They usually send them out by late January/early February. But for fraud cases that get resolved later, it can take 4-8 weeks after resolution to get the corrected form. If you don't have it by April, file an extension for your taxes!

New York is a one-party consent state so this is totally legal! Good advice 👍

what app do you use to record calls? need to start doing this

I use 'Call Recorder' on Android. For iPhone it's trickier - you might need to use speaker phone and record with another device.

I didn't even think of this! I'll check right away. Have you noticed any other accounts being affected?

They tried to open credit cards but the freezes stopped them. Also check with your cell phone carrier - they sometimes try to port your number to get access to 2FA codes.