Finally back into my NY unemployment account after fraud issue - anyone else?
Just wanted to share that I regained access to my unemployment account after dealing with identity theft. For anyone going through the same thing - stay persistent! I noticed something was off back in August when I tried to check my claim status and kept getting error messages. Called the helpline and discovered someone had changed my password and email address. Apparently they tried filing multiple claims using my info in different states. Had to submit a ton of documentation (license, birth certificate, even utility bills) to prove I was actually me. Took almost 7 weeks of back and forth, but this morning I was finally able to log in again. The system even shows they caught the fraud attempt and blocked the false claims. Just wondering if anyone else went through something similar and how long it took to resolve? The wait was brutal.
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GalaxyGazer
yes! this literally just happened to me too. took me almost 9 weeks to get access back 😩 Someone had filed claims in NJ using my info while I was trying to certify here in NY. the system is so broken
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Amina Sow
•9 weeks?? That's even worse than mine. Did they make you do the whole identity verification thing with ID.me too?
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GalaxyGazer
•Yup! And they made me upload my docs THREE TIMES because they said the images were "unclear" even tho I literally took them in perfect lighting. So frustrating!
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Oliver Wagner
•omg I'm in week 4 of waiting. should I just give up and get a new ssn at this point 😭
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Natasha Kuznetsova
After struggling with the same issue, I finally got through using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com). Life changing! You pay them to wait on hold and they call you when an actual human picks up. Talking to a live agent resolved my fraud situation in one day after spending weeks trying to fix it myself. Best thing I did to finally get my account unlocked! Check it out: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE
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Javier Mendoza
•this sounds like an advertisement... does this actually work?
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Not an ad lol, just sharing what worked for me. I was skeptical too but after being on hold for 3+ hours multiple days, I was desperate. The agent I got knew exactly how to handle the fraud situation and unlocked my account while I was on the phone.
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Emma Thompson
•wait so what does this thing actually do? it just calls for you?
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Yeah basically it waits on hold so you don't have to. Their system calls repeatedly (which I could never do manually) and then when a real person answers, it connects the call to your phone. Way better than listening to that horrible hold music for hours.
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Malik Davis
•lmao nice try scammer 🙄 why would anyone pay for something they can do themselves
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Because it literally took me 5 weeks of trying to call myself with no success? Those phone lines are jammed 24/7 and most people can't sit on hold all day when they have kids or other responsibilities. But whatever, do what works for you 🤷♀️
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Isabella Santos
I went through almost the exact same thing! But it took me 10 weeks to get back in. Someone tried to file from Georgia using my info which is crazy cuz I've never even been there. The system is such a mess it's no wonder people can commit fraud so easily.
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StarStrider
Anyne who got locked out and needs help, here's what worked for me: call exactly at 7:58am (they open at 8), press 1, 3, then 2, wait through the first system message but DO NOT press anything when they ask for your SSN! It'll eventually route you to a specialist who can help with fraud/identity issues. Took me 3 tries but finally got through!
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Ravi Gupta
•I tried this and got disconnected twice 😡
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StarStrider
•It doesn't work every time... keep trying. The phone system is trash but this method does work eventually.
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Oliver Wagner
•I'm gonna try this tomorrow morning! Thx for the tip
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Freya Pedersen
I got a letter saying someone tried to claim benefits using my information in April, but I never filed for unemployment or had my account locked. Should I be worried about this? Do I need to do anything?
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GalaxyGazer
•YES!!! Call them immediately and put a fraud alert on your credit report. Someone has your personal info
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Isabella Santos
•100% call them ASAP. This happened to my brother and he ignored it thinking it was a mistake, ended up with like $14,000 of claims filed in his name that he later had to fight
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Omar Hassan
I'm looking at 6 weeks with no access so far. Every time I call, I get disconnected. Every email goes unanswered. I filed a police report but that didn't speed anything up. This is absolutely insane that they can lock us out for so long with no recourse.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Try Claimyr.com - it'll get you through to an actual human who can help. I was in your exact position before using them.
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Omar Hassan
•thanks, might give it a shot. at this point i'm willing to try anything
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Chloe Anderson
THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME!!!! Someone from Florida tried to claim benefits using my NY info. I got locked out for THREE MONTHS. I had to contact my state assemblyman's office to finally get it fixed. If you're still struggling, try that route - they have special contacts at NYSDOL.
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Diego Vargas
On week 11 of being locked out. Still waiting. Have submitted my ID docs 3 times now. This is beyond ridiculous. Meanwhile bills keep coming... 😡
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Amina Sow
•11 weeks?? That's insane! Have you tried calling? I had to call like 20+ times but eventually got through to someone who could help
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Diego Vargas
•I've called at least 50 times. Either disconnected or told to wait for the verification process to complete. NY unemployment is a joke.
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CosmicCruiser
Here's what I've learned dealing with the NY unemployment fraud department (sadly I'm on my 2nd time dealing with this): First, document EVERYTHING. Keep a log of every call, email, and document you submit. This will be crucial if you need to escalate. Second, call first thing in the morning (7:58am) when the lines open. I've found Tuesdays and Wednesdays have slightly better luck getting through. Third, if you're still stuck after 3 weeks, contact your state representative or assembly member. They have direct contacts and can often get things moving. Fourth, submit a formal complaint through the DOL website AND the state attorney general's office. Having multiple complaints in the system can flag your case for faster processing. Finally, if you're still getting nowhere, try using claimyr.com to get through to an agent. It costs money but saved me weeks of frustration by connecting me with someone who could actually help. Don't give up! This system is designed to be difficult, but persistence pays off. Identity theft claims take longer because of the verification process, but they do eventually get resolved.
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Amina Sow
•This is incredibly helpful, thank you! I wish I'd known about contacting my state rep sooner.
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Isabella Santos
•I second the recommendation for claimyr. Saved me so much time and frustration.
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Anastasia Fedorov
•Do you know if your benefits are supposed to continue while this is being resolved? Mine stopped completely.
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CosmicCruiser
•They typically freeze benefits during the investigation, but you should receive backpay for all eligible weeks once it's resolved. Make sure you keep certifying every week even though you're locked out!
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Sean Doyle
i dont understand why the system is so broken. like how hard is it to have decent security? my 9 year old nephew could probly design a better system lol
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Zara Rashid
•Because the system was built in the 1980s using COBOL and they never updated it 😂
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Luca Romano
•fr tho the whole thing runs on technology from when dinosaurs roamed the earth
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Nia Jackson
Anyone know if this affects your taxes? I'm worried that whoever filed using my info is going to cause me problems with the IRS next year 😬
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CosmicCruiser
•Yes, it absolutely can affect your taxes. Make sure you get a corrected 1099-G from NYSDOL showing the fraud case was resolved. Otherwise the IRS will think you received benefits you didn't report.
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Nia Jackson
•Oh god that sounds like another nightmare waiting to happen. Thanks for the heads up
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Isabella Santos
•I'd recommend contacting IRS identity theft department too. They can put a note on your account.
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NebulaNova
this has been happening to so many people lately. there must be some kind of data breach they're not telling us about. my entire apartment building got hit with this (4 different people!
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Mateo Hernandez
My account got locked 2 months ago and I still can't get in no matter what I do. Tried calling hundreds of times and always get disconnected. Tried emailing and never get a response. How did you actually get this resolved, OP?
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Amina Sow
•I had to call every single day for two weeks straight. Best time is right when they open. I also submitted my documents through ID.me AND through their secure upload portal. The key was finally getting through to a tier 2 specialist who could see all my documents were already verified.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Try claimyr.com - they'll get you through to an agent who can actually help. Worked for me after weeks of nothing.
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Aisha Khan
The solution: MOVE TO ANOTHER STATE 💯 NY unemployment system is the absolute WORST. When I lived in NJ their system was 10x better.
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Luca Romano
•Funny you say that, I moved FROM NJ and I think NY's system is better 🤣 grass is always greener I guess
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Aisha Khan
•no way. NJ at least has a callback system. with NY you just get to listen to that horrible music for 3 hours before getting disconnected 💀
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