Can't change NY unemployment direct deposit - ID.me says I already have account but I don't

This is actually a common issue with ID.me and NY unemployment. The system sometimes creates a partial account when you first applied for benefits, even if you never completed the setup. Try using the 'forgot password' option with the email you used for your unemployment application. If that doesn't work, you'll need to contact ID.me support directly at help@id.me - be sure to mention it's for NY unemployment. Usually takes 1-3 business days for them to resolve account issues.

omg i had the EXACT same problem last month!! so frustrating!!

In addition to contacting ID.me support, you should also call the NYSDOL directly. Sometimes they can help reset the verification process on their end. The ID.me issue happens because your SSN is already linked to an account in their system. When I had this problem, I reached them using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - they got me connected to an actual person at unemployment in about 20 minutes instead of calling for days. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE - saved me a ton of frustration!

Ugh this ID.me thing is THE WORST!! I had to make THREE different accounts before it worked!!! And my sister had the same problem you're having where it said she already had an account but she never made one! She had to send in like a million documents to prove who she was and it took almost TWO WEEKS to get fixed!!!! The whole system is BROKEN!

i think if u call the unemployment office directly theyll just make u do id.me again lol. thats what happened to me last year when i was trying to file

Let me share what worked for me with this exact issue in January: 1) Don't create a new account - that makes things worse. 2) Use the recovery options but select 'verify with photo ID' rather than email if you can't access the email. 3) If that fails, you need to join the ID.me video call verification queue - it's buried in their support options but it's the fastest way. The video call agent can override the duplicate account issue. For me, it took about 35 minutes in the video queue, then 5 minutes with the agent, and my direct deposit was set up the next day.

This happened to my cousin too. Turns out someone had tried to claim benefits using his info (identity theft) and that created the ID.me account. Took him forever to get it straightened out. Hope that's not what happened to you!

just checking back - did u get this fixed yet??? i need to update my bank info too soon

UPDATE: For anyone finding this thread later - there's now a specific process for this issue. If you're getting the "account already exists" error with ID.me for NY unemployment: 1. Contact ID.me support with subject line "NY Unemployment - Account Recovery" 2. Provide your name, last 4 of SSN, and the email you used for unemployment 3. They have a dedicated team handling these issues for NYSDOL The current processing time is about 48 hours for account recovery requests. Once resolved, you can complete your direct deposit setup.

Just wanted to add - once you get the ID.me issue fixed, make sure you have a voided check or direct deposit form from your bank ready to upload. The system will ask for this to verify your bank account, and having it ready will save you from getting stuck in yet another waiting period. Also, the first direct deposit usually takes 1-2 payment cycles to activate, so don't panic if you get one more paper check after setting everything up.