Warning: Scammers targeting NY unemployment claimants - what to watch for

Thank you for the warning! I've been getting these too. The latest one was a text saying my 'NY unemployment payment was declined' and I needed to 'verify my banking details' at a sketchy link. The Department of Labor will NEVER contact you this way. Here are some red flags to watch for: - Messages asking you to 'verify' your account by clicking a link - Requests for your full SSN (NYSDOL already has this) - Poor grammar or spelling errors in official communications - URLs that aren't exactly ny.gov (like ny-gov.com or nysdol.co) - Anyone asking for payment to 'process' your claim faster If you're unsure about a communication, log in directly to your NY.gov account through the official website (don't click links) or call the official number listed on the NYSDOL website.

OMG YES!! I got a call yesterday from someone claiming to be from "unemployment benefits verification department" asking for my PIN number and birth date to "verify my identity" for continued benefits. I hung up immediately. They even had the caller ID spoofed to look like it was coming from an official Albany number!!

I've been dealing with unemployment scams for the past 3 YEARS!! It's absolutely ridiculous how these scammers target people already struggling. Here's what I've learned: 1. The real DOL sends messages through your secure NY.gov account inbox - CHECK THERE FIRST 2. They will NEVER ask for your full SSN or banking passwords - EVER 3. Official emails come from noreply@labor.ny.gov ONLY 4. If someone offers to "speed up your claim" for money - 100% SCAM 5. NEVER click links in texts claiming to be from unemployment I've reported at least 20 different scam attempts to the state attorney general's office. These criminals need to be LOCKED UP!!

my sister lost $2000 to one of these scams last month!! she got an email saying there was a problem with her claim and needed to verify her identity. she clicked the link and put in her bank info and they emptied her account!! be careful people

I've been trying to get through to an actual person at the NY unemployment office for weeks to verify if an email I received was legitimate. The frustration is real! After nearly 30 calls and endless hold times, I finally used a service called Claimyr that got me connected to a live agent in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE The agent confirmed my suspicion - the email asking me to "re-verify my employment history" was 100% a scam. Apparently there's been a huge wave of these lately. Just wanted to share since this can help anyone needing to speak with a real NYSDOL representative to check if communications are legitimate.

I work in cybersecurity and these unemployment scams are unfortunately very sophisticated. The scammers are monitoring news about benefit extensions and changes to time their attacks when people are most vulnerable and expecting communications. Here's what NY unemployment will NEVER do: • Call you asking for your full SSN, bank account details, or PIN • Send texts with links to "verify" your account • Email you from domains that aren't ny.gov • Ask you to pay a fee to process your claim • Request gift cards or wire transfers • Ask for your NY.gov password Always go directly to labor.ny.gov and log in to your secure account to check for official communications. If you're ever unsure, contact NYSDOL directly through their official channels.

i just got a weird phone call saying my benefits were on hold and i needed to press 1 to talk to an agent... i hung up but now im worried my benefits actually ARE on hold. how can you tell whats real and whats not???

Update: I just got ANOTHER scam today - this one was an email claiming I needed to "verify my identity through ID.me again" to continue receiving benefits. They even copied the official ID.me logo and formatting! I reported it to both the DOL and ID.me. These scammers are working overtime...

does anyone know if the texts about the extra $300 benefit extension are legit? i got one yesterday saying i qualified but needed to update my payment info