Has anyone verified identity over the phone with ny unemployment after ID.me failed?

I've been exactly where you are last month with that stupid ID.me mess. After 4 failed attempts with video call disconnects, I finally reached someone at unemployment who could help. What worked for me was calling at exactly 8:01am (right when they open) and specifically asking for the identity verification department instead of explaining my whole situation to the first person. If you hit the prompts for "payment issue" rather than "identity verification" you'll actually get to someone faster who can transfer you to the right team. Took me 5 tries but eventually I got to someone who manually verified my identity over the phone by asking a bunch of questions about my previous jobs and addresses. Payments started coming 4 days later. Don't give up!

After struggling with ID.me for WEEKS, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual person at unemployment. They called and stayed on hold, then connected me when a real agent picked up. Talking to an agent got my identity verified and my benefits started flowing within days. Totally worth it! I wasted so much time with ID.me and their awful video call system. Here's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

The phone identity verification is actually easier than ID.me but GOOD LUCK getting someone on the phone lol. I tried for 9 days straight before I finally got through. They asked me questions about old addresses, previous employers, loan history etc. The questions are from your credit report. If ID.me isn't working, definitely try the phone route, just be prepared to spend hours calling.

ID.me is THE WORST!!! I had the exact same experience with disconnects and getting flagged for no reason. What finally worked was going to my state representative's office for help. I emailed my assembly member explaining my situation and someone from their office contacted unemployment on my behalf. My identity was verified within 3 days after that and payments started flowing. Try reaching out to your local assembly member or state senator - they have special contacts at unemployment that can help with identity verification issues.

I went through this nightmare last summer! The trick with the phone verification is you HAVE to tell the first agent specifically that "ID.me failed multiple times and I need manual identity verification by phone" - if you don't use those exact words, they'll just keep telling you to try ID.me again. Once I said that magic phrase, I got transferred to someone who could actually help with phone verification. Also, call right at 8:00am sharp. If you can't get through that way, claimyr.com saved my butt when I was desperate.

Omg ID.me is a complete disaster. Their facial recognition system kept rejecting my perfectly clear photos and then put me in an 8 HOUR queue for video verification. I finally got through with phone verification by calling the fraud department directly (not the main unemployment line). Here's what I did: 1. Called 888-598-2077 (fraud dept number) 2. Told them ID.me was rejecting my legitimate documents 3. They transferred me to identity verification specialists 4. Had to answer questions about my credit history, past addresses, etc. 5. They verified me on the spot and released my payments Hope this helps! The phone verification is WAY easier than dealing with ID.me's broken system. I also had a friend who used claimyr.com to get through when the phone lines were jammed.

Dude I feel your pain. ID.me is literally the worst thing ever invented. I failed verification 5 times before giving up. What worked for me was going to my local Department of Labor office IN PERSON. Most people don't know you can do this! I went to the office in Manhattan with all my documents (SSN card, birth certificate, license, utility bill) and they verified me right there. My account was unlocked the next day. Not sure where you're located but if there's a DoL office near you, it's worth trying this route.

I had the EXACT same issue. After fighting with ID.me for weeks, I used claimyr.com to get through to someone on the phone. Best decision ever. The agent manually verified my identity by asking questions about my credit history and previous jobs. Got my benefits within days. Definitely recommend just doing phone verification instead - ID.me is a complete waste of time.

Former unemployment worker here. Phone verification is actually our preferred method but they don't advertise it because the call center gets overwhelmed. ID.me is meant to reduce call volume but obviously it creates more problems than it solves. If you call and specifically request manual identity verification due to multiple ID.me failures, they should transfer you to a specialist who can verify you by asking questions from your credit report (previous addresses, loans, etc). Call first thing in the morning for shorter wait times.

I used claimyr.com after struggling for WEEKS with ID.me and getting nowhere with the regular phone line. They got me connected to a human at unemployment who verified my identity in like 10 minutes. All I had to do was answer some questions about old addresses and loan history. If you're desperate, it's worth checking out.

My ID.me verification kept failing because I recently moved and my address didn't match my ID. Total nightmare. What worked for me was the phone verification, but I had to be really persistent. Called repeatedly for 3 days before getting through. Once I did, they asked questions about my credit history that only I would know. Way easier than the ID.me garbage! My payments started 2 days after the phone verification. Don't give up!

Try contacting your state senator's office!! I had the same issue and was going crazy with ID.me. My senator's office has a dedicated staff member who handles unemployment cases. They contacted unemployment directly on my behalf and got my identity verified within 48 hours. Seriously, email or call your local state senator - they can cut through all the red tape instantly.

Here's a detailed breakdown of exactly how to handle identity verification by phone with NY unemployment (from someone who finally succeeded after 5 weeks of hell): 1) Do NOT call the main unemployment number and explain your problem - you'll just get transferred in circles 2) Instead, call 888-209-8124 at exactly 8:00am when they open 3) Select the options for "existing claim" and then "payment issue" (NOT identity verification) 4) When you get a human, immediately say: "I need to be transferred to the identity verification unit because ID.me has failed multiple times and I need manual identity verification" 5) If they try to tell you to use ID.me again, politely but firmly repeat that you've already tried multiple times and need the manual phone verification option 6) Once transferred to the identity verification specialist, they'll ask questions based on your credit report - old addresses, loans, employers, etc. 7) They can verify you on the spot and your payments should process within 3-5 business days If you absolutely cannot get through on the phone, try: - Contacting your state assembly member or senator's office - Going to a physical Department of Labor location - Using claimyr.com to get connected (this is what ultimately worked for me when I couldn't get through any other way) Don't give up! Phone verification IS possible and much easier than the ID.me nightmare.

Anyone have problems with id.me after changing your phone number? That's what triggered my nightmare - they kept sending verification codes to my old number 🤦‍♂️

ID.me is straight TRASH. After my 5th failed attempt I raged so hard 😤 The phone verification actually works though! They ask questions about your credit history that a scammer wouldn't know. Much better system. But getting someone on the phone... good luck with that nightmare lol. I finally used claimyr.com after trying for days to call myself.

Yes! I successfully did phone verification after ID.me kept glitching out. They ask security questions based on your credit report - old addresses, loan amounts, previous employers. Way easier than the ID.me nightmare. The hard part is just getting someone on the phone. I had success by calling right when they open at 8am and specifically asking for the identity verification department due to "multiple ID.me failures." Don't let them transfer you to the general queue! Be persistent about needing the specialized identity verification team.