NY unemployment asking for 'personal identification' during phone call - what does this actually mean?

They usually mean your SSN, DOB, address and sometimes your drivers license/ID number. It's how they verify who they're talking to so random people can't just call up and get your info or mess with your claim. They should be more specific though, super annoying!

After spending 3 weeks tryna get someone on the phone, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) and it actually connected me to an agent within like 30 mins. Talking to the real person got everything sorted out way faster than I expected. Best decision I made during this whole unemployment nightmare - got my benefits flowing again after being stuck for months. They also have a helpful tutorial vid: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

When I had this problem last year they were asking for my NY state ID/drivers license number AND my SSN. Had to provide both before they would help me. The first rep couldn't explain it properly and kept saying "personal identification" over and over like a robot. Second person I talked to actually explained what they needed. Try calling back and hopefully you'll get someone more helpful.

I think they also sometimes want the exact address you had listed when you first filed. I moved during my claim period and had to give them both addresses - the one on my initial application AND my current one. The system is so frustratingly vague sometimes.

Okay so here's the ACTUAL answer because I used to work in a call center (not NY unemployment but similar government system): When they ask for "personal identification" they're usually following a script and what they REALLY need is multiple forms of ID verification. This typically includes: - Full SSN (not just last 4) - Complete DOB (month/day/year) - Current mailing address that matches their system - Phone number on file - Sometimes email address if you signed up online - Last employer name (exactly as entered in system) - Sometimes claim filing date The problem is many reps don't explain this clearly and just repeat the script language. If you're still struggling, I highly recommend using claimyr.com to get connected faster - I've heard good things from others in this sub. The key is to immediately say "I'd like to verify my identity for my claim" when you get a human, then have ALL your docs ready (ID, SSN card, bills with address, etc). NY unemployment's verification system is especially picky right now because of all the fraud they've had to deal with post-pandemic.

I swear they make it confusing on purpose so people just give up and stop claiming their benefits... 😤

Has anyone tried going to an actual office in person? Wondering if that might be easier than these phone nightmares.

u might wanna check if ur account got flagged for identity verification. happened to me and they wanted me to upload docs to [id.me](https://id.me) but never actually told me. I only found out by logging into the portal and seeing a message about it.

Welcome to ny unemployment, where everything is made up and the explanations don't matter 🤡

Ugh this is so relatable! I went through the exact same runaround last month. After getting transferred 4 times and disconnected twice, I finally got someone who explained they needed my claim confirmation number (the one from when you first filed), plus all the usual stuff like SSN and DOB. But here's the kicker - they also wanted the EXACT dollar amount of my last benefit payment. Like who keeps track of that?? I had to log into my account while on the phone to find it. The whole system is designed to frustrate people into giving up, I swear. Keep trying though, persistence is the only thing that works with NY unemployment!