NY unemployment ID.me verification stuck for 3 weeks - can't complete claim
I started my NY unemployment claim about a month ago and everything was going fine until I got to the ID verification part through ID.me. I uploaded my driver's license and took the selfie, but then it got stuck on the "verifying your identity" screen. That was THREE WEEKS ago! Every time I try to log back in, it just says my verification is "in progress" but nothing happens. I can't complete my claim without this step and I'm running out of money. I've tried calling the unemployment office about 20 times but can't get through to anyone. Has anyone else had this ID.me problem with NY unemployment? How did you fix it?
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Destiny Bryant
The same thing happened to me in February. ID.me has a separate customer service line from NYSDOL. Call ID.me directly at 866-377-3136 and tell them your verification is stuck. They might need to manually review your documents. Don't keep waiting - my verification was stuck for almost a month until I called them directly.
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Hattie Carson
•Thank you! I didn't realize ID.me had their own customer service. I'll call them tomorrow morning.
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Dyllan Nantx
sometimes the id.me thing gets stuck if your selfie isnt good quality or if theres like shadows on your face. try doing it again with really good lighting. worked for me after 3 tries
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Hattie Carson
•I tried that twice already with different lighting. Even used my girlfriend's phone with a better camera! Still stuck on verifying. So frustrating!
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TillyCombatwarrior
I had this EXACT SAME PROBLEM last month!!! The ID.me system is GARBAGE. I was stuck for over 4 weeks and couldn't get benefits. The regular NYSDOL phone lines are useless - they just tell you to contact ID.me, but ID.me's customer service is also impossible to reach!!! I finally got through to an actual NYSDOL agent by using Claimyr (claimyr.com). It costs money but they got me connected to a real person in about 30 minutes instead of spending days calling. The agent manually noted my account that I was having ID.me issues and pushed my claim through to the next step. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE
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Hattie Carson
•I'd never heard of this service before. Did you have to give them your personal info? I'm hesitant to share my SSN with some random company.
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TillyCombatwarrior
•No no, they don't ask for your SSN or anything. They just connect you to the NYSDOL phone line - you still talk directly with unemployment, they just help you skip the waiting and busy signals. Saved me weeks of frustration.
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Anna Xian
My neighbor had this problem too. Said the whole ID.me thing is a scam to prevent people from getting benefits. Government doesn't want to pay out.
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Jungleboo Soletrain
•This is misinformation. ID.me is a legitimate identity verification service used by many government agencies to prevent fraud. While there are certainly technical issues that can be frustrating, it's not designed to prevent eligible claimants from receiving benefits.
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Rajan Walker
Have you tried using a different browser? ID.me was giving me issues on Chrome but worked fine when I switched to Firefox. Also clear your cookies and cache before trying again.
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Hattie Carson
•I've tried both Chrome and Safari but not Firefox. I'll download it and try that approach too. Thanks for the suggestion!
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Nadia Zaldivar
Does anyone know if this ID.me thing is mandatory? I'm about to apply for NY unemployment and I'm worried about this step. My camera on my phone is broken and I don't have a webcam for my laptop. Can I verify my identity another way with NYSDOL?
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Jungleboo Soletrain
•Unfortunately, ID.me verification is mandatory for all new NY unemployment claims as of 2023. It's part of their fraud prevention measures. If you don't have a working camera, you might be able to use someone else's device for just that part of the process. Otherwise, you'll need to contact NYSDOL directly to ask about alternative verification methods, which may significantly delay your claim.
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Jungleboo Soletrain
Here's what you need to do for an ID.me verification that's stuck: 1. First, try the ID.me support at 866-377-3136 as suggested above 2. If that doesn't work, log into your ID.me account separately (not through NYSDOL) and check your verification status 3. You may need to go through their "Trusted Referee" video call option if automated verification failed 4. If you've verified successfully in ID.me but NYSDOL isn't recognizing it, you need to speak with a NYSDOL agent to manually note your account Most importantly, don't start a new claim or create multiple ID.me accounts - this will flag your account for potential fraud and cause even longer delays.
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Hattie Carson
•Thank you for the detailed steps! I just checked and I do see a "Connect with a Trusted Referee" option in my ID.me account that I didn't notice before. I'll try that route tomorrow.
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Dyllan Nantx
my cousin works at the unemployment office and says they get like 1000s of calls everyday about id.me problems lol
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Anna Xian
•I believe it! System is designed to make people give up. Make it so complicated that half the people just stop trying to get the benefits they deserve.
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Destiny Bryant
Just checking back - were you able to resolve your ID.me issue? The Trusted Referee video call option usually works for those with stuck verifications.
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Hattie Carson
•Yes! Finally got it sorted. I did the Trusted Referee video call this morning - had to wait about 35 minutes but the person was actually really helpful. They manually verified my ID and within a couple hours my NYSDOL application updated to show the verification was complete. Now I'm just waiting for them to process my actual claim. Thanks everyone for your help!
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