Got random KeyBank card in mail - ny unemployment ended months ago - tourism relief payment?

If you worked in hospitality before COVID hit, you might qualify for the Tourism Worker Recovery Fund. They're sending out one time payments of $2,250 to eligible workers. Check if your name is on the card. If it matches, it's probably legit. I got mine last week!

After dealing with ny unemployment for months with no response, I finally used claimyr.com to get a live agent to call me back. They sorted out my case immediately and explained that sometimes these tourism relief payments get sent automatically if you're in their system as a former hospitality worker. Worth checking with a real person if you're uncertain! https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

BE CAREFUL!!! There's been a lot of scams with fake KeyBank cards being sent out. Don't activate it until you verify it's legit. Call the official NYSDOL number (not the one on the card) to check if they actually sent you something.

Check if it has the official NY State Department of Labor logo and your full name. The tourism relief funds are legitimate - I received $2000 about 3 weeks ago. It's part of a state initiative to help people who lost tourism/hospitality jobs during the pandemic.

I just went through this exact same thing! Turns out it was legit from the Tourism Worker Recovery Fund. I went thru all kinds of paranoia thinking it was identity theft or something. If you worked in hotel, restaurant, etc before covid, youre probably eligible. There was no application process - they just identified people through previous unemployment claims. I activated mine and got $2,250! 🙌

Since nobody's said it yet - this is specifically the Tourism Worker Recovery Fund. Its a one-time payment for people who worked in NYC hospitality/tourism and lost their jobs due to COVID. You don't apply for it - they automatically determined eligibility based on your previous unemployment claims. Payments range from $500-$2500 depending on how long you worked in the industry.

Happened to me too!!! It's 100% the tourism recovery fund. I got $1750 for working at a restaurant before covid. Just make sure it has your actual name on it and not someone else's. Some mail carriers have been delivering these to wrong addresses.

Here's what you need to know about the NY Tourism Worker Recovery Fund: - It's a legitimate program funded through the state budget - Payments range from $500-$2,500 depending on your work history - You must have worked in hospitality/tourism for at least 6 months prior to March 2020 - You don't apply for it - they determine eligibility from previous UI claims - Cards are being mailed out in phases through June 2023 - Funds available immediately upon activation - Card works like any debit card - ATMs, purchases, etc. If you have questions or concerns about your specific situation, don't waste weeks trying to call the regular unemployment line. I used claimyr.com after struggling to get through for a month. They connected me with an actual DOL agent who verified my eligibility and explained everything. When it comes to getting answers about unemployment or these special programs, having a direct line to a live person makes all the difference. Hope this helps anyone confused about these KeyBank cards showing up!

I got one of these too and freaked out thinking it was identity theft! Called DOL for 2 weeks with no answer. Finally called KeyBank directly and they confirmed it was legit. $2,250 just like that! 🤑

Def the tourism fund. But side note - has anyone else had trouble activating these cards? Mine keeps giving me an error when I try to set up online access...

So many fake cards going around right now. BE CAREFUL!!! My sister got scammed with a fake KeyBank card last month. Call the DOL directly to confirm before activating!

The NY tourism recovery fund is real but there are also scammers taking advantage of it by sending fake cards. Here's how to tell the difference: 1. Real cards come in plain white envelope with KeyBank and NY State logos 2. The card will have YOUR ACTUAL NAME on it 3. Real activation instructions never ask for your full SSN 4. The website for activation should be secure (https://) If you're still unsure, call KeyBank's official number or DOL directly. Don't use the number on materials that came with a suspicious card.

just got mine 2 days ago! $1,875 from tourism fund. spent it all on bills already lol. but yeah its legit if it came in official envelope with your name on the card.

Anyone know if hotel management qualifies? I was a hotel manager but havent received anything yet...

I hate how ny unemployment never communicates about these things. I had to find out about this tourism fund from REDDIT of all places 🤦‍♀️ Their website doesn't even have clear info about it!

NYSDOL is actually doing something helpful for once??? 🤯 I'm shocked. But yes, this tourism fund is real. My roommate who worked at a museum got his payment last week.

Quick tip: If you do activate the card, transfer the money to your bank account right away. Some people have reported issues with the KeyBank cards getting frozen randomly.

im so confused about this tourism thing. i worked at a restaurant in queens for 3 years and got laid off march 2020. never heard about applying for this. am i automatically getting something or did i miss a deadline to apply??