NY unemployment claims blocked after address change - need to verify identity??

This happened to me in January. The system flags address changes as potential fraud, especially if you moved to a different borough. They want to make sure it's actually you certifying and not someone who stole your identity. Unfortunately, document uploads can take 10-15 business days to process right now due to backlog. Here's what worked for me: 1. Call exactly at 8:00 AM when they open (set an alarm for 7:58) 2. Use option 2, then 1, then 2 again when prompted 3. When asked about your issue, say "identity verification" not "address change" 4. Have your claim ID, SSN, and new address info ready They can verify your identity right on the call if you get through to an agent. Your benefits should resume within 48 hours after verification.

i had same prob but difrent reason. they askd for id verify after i changd my direct deposit. took 3 weeks to fix!!! system is broken. try twitter DM to NYSDOL sometimes they respond faster there

The identity verification process is a standard security measure that gets triggered automatically when there's a change to your address, banking information, or other key account details. This has been increasingly common since 2023 when NYSDOL implemented enhanced anti-fraud measures. Some important points to understand: 1. Document uploads are processed in the order received. Currently, the verification team is experiencing higher than normal volume, resulting in processing times of 7-15 business days. 2. Make sure your documents are clearly legible. Photos of documents must show all four corners, have good lighting, and no glare. PDFs are preferred when possible. 3. For address verification specifically, they need to see both your name and new address on the same document. A driver's license with an old address won't help, but a utility bill or lease for the new place will. 4. While waiting for document verification, continue certifying for benefits each week even though they'll show as pending. Once verified, all pending payments will be released at once. The phone strategy mentioned above is good advice. Calling right at 8:00 AM significantly increases your chances of reaching someone.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE US GIVE UP!!!! I had FIVE identity verifications in 2024 alone!!! They're hoping we'll just stop claiming benefits because it's too much hassle. My neighbor works at a community legal aid office and says they've seen hundreds of cases where people lose benefits over simple address changes. The system is DELIBERATELY BROKEN.

After struggling with NY unemployment for weeks over identity verification issues (mine was due to a name change after marriage), I finally found a service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual agent in under 10 minutes. They basically call NYSDOL for you and when they reach an agent, they connect you. I was skeptical but desperate enough to try it. The agent I spoke with was able to verify my identity right on the call, and my pending payments were released two days later. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE They do charge for the service (website is claimyr.com), but after spending hours upon hours calling unsuccessfully myself, it was worth it to get my case resolved quickly.

i had the EXACT same problem in march when i moved from queens to manhattan. the WORST part was that they never told me WHY my benefits suddenly stopped!!! i just got that vague message about verification. i called 46 times (yes i counted) before getting thru to someone who fixed it in literally 2 minutes. so frustrating!!! btw make sure when u do talk to someone, ask them to put a note in ur file about WHY it was flagged. mine was flagged becuz my old roommate also claims unemployment and they thought it was suspicious when i moved out (like we were the same person or something??). so weird.

While you're waiting to get this resolved, have you considered applying for emergency assistance through HRA? If you're about to miss rent, you might qualify for a one-time emergency grant. Won't help with the unemployment issue but might prevent bigger problems with your housing while you sort this out.

One additional tip: When you do manage to speak with an agent, ask them to add a note to your file about your successful identity verification. This creates a record in case you face similar issues in the future. Also, after your identity is verified, download and save the confirmation document they send. Having this readily available can expedite the process if your account gets flagged again in the future. Furthermore, once this is resolved, I recommend updating your contact information in your NY.gov ID account separately from your unemployment account to ensure both systems have matching information. Sometimes discrepancies between these two systems can trigger verification requirements.

update ur bank info too!! my friend got stuck in identty verify loop bcuz his bank address didnt match his claim address

UPDATE: I finally got through!!! I tried calling right at 8am like suggested but still couldn't get through. Then I tried that Claimyr service someone mentioned here and got connected to an agent within 15 minutes. The agent was super helpful and said my account was flagged because I had accidentally entered my apartment number differently on two forms (I put "3B" on one and "Apt 3B" on another 🤦‍♀️). She verified my identity right on the phone and said my payments should resume in 24-48 hours! She also said all my pending payments from the last two weeks will be released at once. Thank you everyone for all your advice!!!