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Angelica Smith

Receiving NY unemployment fraud emails for 2022 but didn't collect - how to resolve?

I've been getting emails recently claiming I collected unemployment benefits in 2022, but I definitely haven't received any payments since September 2021. The emails look official from NYSDOL but I'm worried this might be identity theft or some kind of system error. Has anyone dealt with this before? What's the most effective way to get this fixed? I know trying to call the unemployment office is basically impossible (tried 5 times already and gave up after being on hold forever). Should I just ignore the emails or is this something I need to address ASAP before it becomes a bigger problem?

Logan Greenburg

DO NOT IGNORE THESE EMAILS!!! This happened to me in January when someone filed using my info. If you don't handle it now you'll end up with a tax bill and possible fraud investigation. The DOL will think YOU are the one committing fraud by not reporting income while collecting benefits. You need to report this identity theft IMMEDIATELY!!!

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Angelica Smith

Oh crap, that sounds serious. Did you eventually get it resolved? How long did the process take?

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Charlotte Jones

check if the emails are actually legit first... lots of scams going around. look at the sender email address carefully. real nysdol emails end with @labor.ny.gov

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Angelica Smith

Good point! Just double-checked and the emails are from noreply@labor.ny.gov so unfortunately they seem legitimate. Guess I do need to deal with this.

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Lucas Bey

You need to report this as identity theft. Log into your NY.gov account and see if there are any active claims showing. Then you'll need to submit a fraud report through the NYSDOL website (there's a form specifically for identity theft). You should also check your credit reports and possibly freeze your credit. The challenge is that you'll eventually need to speak with someone to fully resolve this. In my experience working with clients in similar situations, having documentation of when you first reported the issue is crucial.

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Angelica Smith

Thanks for the detailed advice. I just logged in and there IS an active claim from January 2025 that I definitely didn't file. I'll submit the fraud report right away. Any idea how long resolution typically takes?

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Harper Thompson

This happened to my brother last year. He spent 3 weeks trying to get through to an agent. Super frustrating. Have you tried using Claimyr? It's this service that helps you get through to an actual NYSDOL agent without waiting forever. My brother finally used it after wasting so much time and got connected within 20 minutes. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE For something like identity theft, you really need to talk to a person. The online forms aren't enough in my experience.

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Angelica Smith

I hadn't heard of that service before. Did your brother have any issues using it? I'm getting desperate enough to try anything at this point.

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Harper Thompson

No issues at all. They just helped him get through the phone system to an actual agent. The agent was able to flag his account for identity theft investigation right away. Much better than waiting weeks for someone to review an online form submission.

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Caleb Stark

ya i got similar emails last month turned out someone in buffalo was using my ssn!! make sure u report it to police 2 not just unemployment!! i filed police report and that helped me with unemployment people to take it seriously

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Angelica Smith

That's a really good point about the police report. I wouldn't have thought of that. Did you file it online or go to the station in person?

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Caleb Stark

went in person. brought printouts of everything. took like 30 min total. they gave me case # that i used when i finally talked to unemployment

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Jade O'Malley

Just wondering...are you sure you didn't apply for benefits and forget about it? My wife thought someone stole her identity when we got a letter but it turned out she DID apply after getting laid off but then found a job right away and forgot she had started a claim.

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Angelica Smith

I'm 100% certain. I've been at the same job since November 2021. Haven't applied for any benefits since my previous job ended in August 2021.

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Hunter Edmunds

I had something similar happen in 2025. Beyond what others have suggested, I recommend contacting these three agencies: 1. Federal Trade Commission - file an identity theft report at IdentityTheft.gov 2. Social Security Administration - alert them your SSN may be compromised 3. IRS - submit Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit) Also, keep detailed records of EVERY communication including dates, names of representatives, and case numbers. When I finally got through to NYSDOL, they required evidence of when I first discovered the fraud. Unfortunately, this will take time to resolve - potentially 2-3 months - but being proactive now will save you significant headaches during tax season when you might receive a 1099-G for benefits you never claimed.

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Angelica Smith

This is incredibly helpful, thank you. I've already started a document tracking everything, including screenshots of the emails and the fraudulent claim in my account. I'll definitely file those additional reports too.

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Logan Greenburg

Update??? Did you get this fixed??

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Angelica Smith

Working on it! I filed the fraud report on the NYSDOL site, submitted the FTC identity theft report, and got through to an agent using that Claimyr service someone mentioned above (which actually worked surprisingly well). The agent flagged my account and started an investigation. They said it would take 4-6 weeks to fully resolve but at least the fraudulent claim is now suspended. I also filed a police report yesterday and froze my credit with all three bureaus. Now it's basically a waiting game, but I feel much better having taken all these steps.

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Logan Greenburg

Good for you taking action so quickly!! It took me MONTHS to get everything straight when it happened to me. Freezing your credit was smart - wish I'd done that right away.

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