Found strange 'claim processing' message in my ny unemployment account - anyone else?

OMG same thing happened to me!! I saw a weird claim being processed from early April but I've been working since January! I called and they put me on hold for 2 hours before some lady told me someone had filed a fraudulent claim using my info. Had to file a police report and everything. Such a pain. You need to keep trying to get through to someone ASAP before they actually start paying out on the fake claim.

After seeing this post yesterday, I decided to check my account and found exactly the same thing! I was losing my mind trying to get through to an agent. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a rep in about 40 minutes instead of waiting on hold all day. The agent confirmed it was identity theft and helped me shut down the fraudulent claim. Talking to an agent got my account secured so fast - totally worth it to avoid weeks of stress. They also have a video explaining how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

This happened to my cousin a few weeks ago! They froze all her unemployment stuff and made her verify her identity by uploading her drivers license and SSN card. She had to file a police report too. Apparently there's a huge fraud ring targeting unemployment accounts right now. Make sure you check your credit report too.

I work at a bank and we've been seeing a HUGE spike in unemployment fraud cases in NY over the last 2 months. Definitely call them ASAP to report it. Also file a report at identitytheft.gov and check your credit reports ASAP. Freeze your credit too if you want to be extra safe.

YES!! I had this EXACT issue happen in February!! Someone filed a claim using my info while I was at my job I've had for over a year. The unemployment office was useless - took me literally 6 weeks to get it resolved. You need to: 1. Call NY unemployment IMMEDIATELY (I know it's nearly impossible but keep trying) 2. File a police report (they won't do much but you need documentation) 3. Contact all 3 credit bureaus to place a fraud alert 4. File a report on identitytheft.gov 5. Let your employer know This is happening to tons of people right now. The system is completely overwhelmed with fraud cases. I finally got through using claimyr.com after wasting days trying to call myself. It was the only way I could actually talk to a person who could help fix my account.

OMG this literally just happened to me. I thought I was going crazy. I haven't filed for benefits since 2021 and suddenly there's an active claim???? Called them yesterday (took 3 hours to get through) and they confirmed someone filed using my SSN. They're investigating now but said it could take 6-8 weeks to resolve. Unreal.

THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE RIGHT NOW!! My wife works for NY unemployment (not directly, she's a contractor) and she says they are DROWNING in fraud cases. Like tens of thousands of fake claims being filed. Best advice is to report it ASAP. Call first thing in the morning right when they open at 8am for the best chance of getting through.

Anyone else notice how completely INCOMPETENT the NY unemployment system is?? Like how is it this easy for random people to file claims using our info? I worked in cybersecurity and their security is a joke. They need to completely overhaul the whole system.

Adding my experience - dealt with this EXACT situation in March. Someone filed using my info while I've been at the same job for 3 years. It's 100% identity theft. I spent WEEKS trying to get someone on the phone. Finally broke down and used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent. They marked my account as compromised and gave me a case number for the fraud department. Still took about 4 weeks to fully resolve but at least they stopped payments to the scammer right away.

I went thru this NIGHTMARE last month. Took me over 45 calls to finally get through to someone. Turns out my information was used to file a claim in February even though I've been employed since 2020. My advice - be prepared to spend HOURS on the phone, document everything, and follow up relentlessly. The system is completely broken and they're overwhelmed with fraud cases.

So according to my friend who works for the state (not unemployment but a different dept), there was a MASSIVE data breach they haven't publicly disclosed yet. Something like millions of NY residents' info got stolen. They're trying to keep it quiet while they investigate but it's why we're seeing this explosion of fraudulent claims. Just a heads up to everyone - might want to freeze your credit reports as a precaution.

If you're struggling to get through on the phone, try their Twitter DMs. I messaged @NYSLabor with my issue (same as yours - fraudulent claim) and shockingly they responded within 24 hours and escalated my case. Still took about 2 weeks to resolve but at least I didn't have to wait on hold for days.

The reason your seeing so many of these cases is because there's a huge organized fraud ring targeting NY unemployment right now. My brother is a detective and says they're investigating a massive operation that's filing thousands of fake claims using stolen identities. Definitely report it ASAP so you don't get hit with tax issues later. And freeze your credit!

Pro tip after dealing with this myself: if you can't get through on the main unemployment line, try calling your local career center instead. They often have direct lines to people who can help with fraud cases and the wait times are WAY shorter. I got my issue resolved in days instead of weeks by doing this.

After dealing with the same issue for weeks and getting nowhere with regular calls, I finally gave in and used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to reach a rep. Got through in 52 minutes when I'd been trying for DAYS on my own with no luck. The agent confirmed it was fraud, locked my account, and started the process to clear my name. Was definitely worth it to get this nightmare handled quickly before more damage could be done.

ny unemployment is a JOKE 🤡 their security is nonexistent, their customer service is trash, and they make it impossible to get help when you need it. I've been dealing with fraud on my account for over 3 months and they still haven't resolved it. I've sent in my ID verification stuff FOUR TIMES and they keep saying they never received it.

i was in the EXACT same situation a few weeks ago and it turned out someone had fiiled a fraudulent claim. Call the fraud department directly at 888-598-2077 instead of the main number. Much shorter wait times and they deal specifically with these issues.

While you're dealing with NY unemployment, make sure you're taking steps to protect yourself elsewhere too! Immediately: 1. Place fraud alerts with all 3 credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) 2. Consider freezing your credit completely 3. Change passwords on ALL your accounts, especially email and banking 4. Set up 2-factor authentication everywhere possible 5. Monitor your bank accounts daily for suspicious activity 6. Check your credit reports weekly (they're free right now) 7. File an identity theft report at identitytheft.gov If someone has enough of your info to file an unemployment claim, they might try other types of fraud too. I learned this the hard way after my unemployment account was compromised last year and then they tried opening credit cards in my name too. Be proactive! For dealing with NY unemployment specifically, after wasting DAYS trying to call them myself, I finally used claimyr.com which got me through to a rep who could actually help. Talking to an agent got my account secured immediately which was crucial to stopping the fraudsters.

Pro tip: document EVERYTHING. Take screenshots of your account showing the fraudulent claim, write down dates and times of all calls, get names of representatives you speak with, and save case numbers. I'm still dealing with tax issues from a fraudulent claim that happened to me last year because I didn't have enough documentation to prove it wasn't me who received the benefits.