Suspicious text claiming NY unemployment refund links to fake IRS page offering $815.05 "Economic Impact Payment" - scam?

100% a scam. The NY unemployment department does NOT send texts with links asking you to "claim" anything. They also don't threaten to track your IP or pursue you for "wrong inputs." Delete it and don't click any links! The real unemployment department communicates through your official account on their website or by mail.

After dealing with ny unemployment hell for 3 months, I finally found a service that helped me get a real person on the phone to fix my issues. I used claimyr.com and they connected me with an actual agent within an hour! Talking to a real human got my payments moving again after being stuck for weeks. Seriously saved my sanity. Check out their demo: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

I got that exact same message last week! It's 1000% a phishing scam - they're trying to steal your personal info. The real NY unemployment system is a mess but they dont text you random links asking for info. Report it as spam and block the number.

Any time they say they will "criminally pursue" you for wrong input, you know its a scam. Government agencies don't talk like that lmao. They might say "providing false information may result in penalties" or something formal like that. These scammers are getting more sophisticated but they still say dumb shit that gives them away.

Hey everyone, I work in cybersecurity and I'm seeing a MASSIVE uptick in unemployment scams right now. Here's what's happening: - Scammers create fake sites that look like official government pages - They send texts/emails with urgent messages about payments/refunds - They include specific dollar amounts to seem legitimate - They try to collect your personal info for identity theft - They often include threats or tracking language to scare you NEVER click links in texts claiming to be from unemployment. The real NY unemployment system will ONLY communicate through your secure online account or official mail. If you need to contact them, go to their official site or call their official number. If you're struggling to reach someone at unemployment (which is common), services like claimyr.com can help you get through to a real agent without sharing any personal info. They just handle the annoying hold times for you. Stay safe out there and report these scams to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov

My mom got the same text and she clicked the link 😩 She already entered her SSN and banking info before calling me. We had to freeze all her credit and now shes dealing with identity theft. PLEASE tell your older relatives about these scams!!!

just gonna state the obvious but the real ny unemployment system will NEVER ask you to claim anything via a random text message. end of story. what annoys me is these scammers prey on desperate people who actually need unemployment benefits.

I called the official NY unemployment number today to ask about this, waited on hold for TWO HOURS, and they confirmed this is 100% a scam. They said they're getting flooded with calls about these fake texts right now.

ugh these scammers are getting smarter. they know exactly what $ amount would be believable but still exciting enough to make someone click without thinking. the real NY unemployment system is a nightmare but at least they don't send shady texts.

Pro tip: Never trust ANY text message claiming to be from a government agency that includes a link. That's not how they operate. The real unemployment office sends you messages inside your secure account dashboard or by mail. If you're unsure, log in to your account directly (by typing the URL yourself, don't click links) or call the official number.

my friend just got scammed by something similar and now her bank account is completely drained. these scammers are absolute bottom feeders, preying on people who are struggling with unemployment. report the text to 7726 (SPAM) so carriers can block the number.

not from ny but in california we're getting similar scams. they say they're from "EDD" and have a refund. government agencies will NEVER text you about money you're owed with a random link.

look at the wording - "fiscal activity" and "claim my payment" sounds like someone who learned english as a second language trying to sound official. real government communications are written by bureaucrats who use specific technical language.

these scammers are taking advantage of how broken the ny unemployment system is. They know people are desperate and will click anything that promises money. It's disgusting.

I actually found a good way to deal with ny unemployment issues without falling for scams. After weeks of getting nowhere with their phone system, I used claimyr.com to get through to a real agent. They basically deal with the hold times and call you when an agent picks up. Finally got my issue fixed after months of trying.

FYI everyone - the real NY department of labor has a warning about these scams on their website right now. They will NEVER text you links or ask for your info that way. Always go through the official unemployment portal.

THE TIMING OF THIS SCAM IS SO EVIL. People are struggling with rent and bills right now and these scammers know exactly what they're doing sending fake texts about money. makes my blood boil.

if yall ever get a text like this, the best thing to do is report it as spam/phishing to your carrier. just forward the entire message to 7726 (SPAM) and they'll add it to their database of known scams. helps protect people who might be more vulnerable.

I had a legitimate issue with my ny unemployment and I couldn't get anyone on the phone for WEEKS. Eventually tried this service called claimyr.com that got me connected to a real agent in about 40 minutes. Talking to a human solved my problem in one call after 3 weeks of getting nowhere. So worth it.