How long does NYS Department of Labor unemployment fraud investigation take?
I got a letter from NYS Department of Labor saying they're investigating my claim for potential fraud. This is completely bogus - I reported everything correctly and have all my documentation. The letter doesn't give any timeline for how long this will take. My benefits are suspended while they investigate and I'm starting to panic about paying rent. Has anyone been through a fraud investigation before? How long did it take to get resolved?
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William Rivera
Fraud investigations can take anywhere from 4-12 weeks depending on the complexity. NYS Department of Labor has to review all your employment records, verify your job search activities, and sometimes contact your former employers. The good news is if you have proper documentation, most false fraud allegations get cleared up. Make sure you respond to any requests for additional information immediately.
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Kayla Jacobson
•12 weeks?! I can't go that long without benefits. Did they give you any updates during the process or just radio silence the whole time?
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Grace Lee
mine took 6 weeks last year, they said someone reported me for working while collecting but i wasn't working at all. just had to send in bank statements and prove i was job searching
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Mia Roberts
The investigation timeline depends on what triggered the fraud flag. Common triggers include unreported wages, job search requirement violations, or identity verification issues. If it's a simple documentation issue, it might resolve in 3-4 weeks. More complex cases involving employer disputes can take 2-3 months. Keep detailed records of all communication with NYS Department of Labor during this period.
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Kayla Jacobson
•They haven't told me what specifically triggered it. The letter just says 'potential fraud detected' with no details. Should I call and ask for specifics?
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Mia Roberts
•Yes, definitely call and ask for details about what needs to be investigated. You have the right to know what allegations you're facing. However, getting through to someone at NYS Department of Labor can be really challenging with their call volume.
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The Boss
I was stuck trying to reach NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my fraud investigation until someone told me about Claimyr. It's a service that calls on your behalf and gets you connected to an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Within 2 days I was talking to someone who explained exactly what documentation I needed to clear up my case.
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Evan Kalinowski
•How much does something like that cost? I'm already broke from having my benefits suspended.
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The Boss
•It's worth checking out their site for details. For me it was totally worth it because I was going crazy not knowing what was happening with my case. The peace of mind alone was huge.
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Victoria Charity
THE WHOLE FRAUD INVESTIGATION SYSTEM IS A JOKE! They flag people for the smallest things and then take MONTHS to clear it up while you're sitting there with no income. I know someone who got flagged because they moved during their claim period and forgot to update their address immediately. THREE MONTHS to resolve something that should have taken 5 minutes!
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Jasmine Quinn
•same here, got investigated for 'suspicious job search activity' whatever that means, took 10 weeks and turned out to be nothing
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Oscar Murphy
Just went through this myself actually. Started in September and just got cleared last week, so about 8 weeks total. The worst part is they don't give you updates unless you keep calling. I probably called 20 times during those 8 weeks. Each time they just said 'still under review' until suddenly one day it was resolved and my back benefits were deposited.
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Charity Cohan
I'm going through something similar right now - got the fraud investigation letter 3 weeks ago and haven't heard anything since. The anxiety is killing me because like you, I know I did everything right and have all my paperwork. From what I'm reading here it sounds like the timeline really varies but most people seem to get cleared if they have proper documentation. Have you tried submitting any additional proof proactively, or are you just waiting for them to ask for specific documents?
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Eva St. Cyr
•I'm in the exact same boat - got my letter about 2 weeks ago and the waiting is absolutely brutal. I decided to be proactive and sent them copies of all my job applications, bank statements, and employment termination letter even though they didn't specifically ask yet. Figure it can't hurt and might speed things up. The uncertainty is the worst part - not knowing if this will take 4 weeks or 4 months makes it impossible to plan anything. Stay strong, sounds like most people here who had proper documentation eventually got cleared.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
I went through a fraud investigation last year that took about 7 weeks to resolve. The key thing that helped me was keeping a detailed log of every interaction - date, time, who I spoke with, and what they told me. I also recommend sending everything certified mail so you have proof of delivery. One thing that surprised me was that they eventually called my previous employer directly, so make sure any former bosses know they might get contacted. The whole process is stressful but if you truly reported everything correctly, you should be fine. Just be prepared for it to take longer than you'd hope.
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Justin Evans
•That's really helpful advice about keeping a detailed log - I wish I had started doing that from day one. The certified mail tip is smart too. Did your employer give you a heads up when NYS Department of Labor contacted them, or did you find out some other way? I'm worried my former boss might not respond quickly since we didn't part on the best terms, even though I was legitimately laid off due to budget cuts.
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