UPDATE: I was finally able to reach someone at the fraud department! After about 50 attempts over two days, I got through. The agent confirmed someone tried to file a fraudulent claim using my info in 2021. They added notes to my account about the identity theft and told me my current claim should process normally, but might take an extra week for review. They're also sending me a form to fill out to officially document the fraud. Thanks everyone for the advice and help!

So glad you were able to get through and get this resolved! 50 attempts is ridiculous but unfortunately typical for PA UC phone lines. The fact that they're proactively adding notes to your account is a good sign - it shows they're taking the identity theft seriously. That extra week of review time is totally worth it for the peace of mind. Keep us posted on how your claim progresses, and definitely follow through on that fraud documentation form. Your experience might help other people in similar situations!

Good advice above. If the portal message doesn't get results in 3-4 days, I'd seriously consider using Claimyr or contacting your state rep. When I used Claimyr, I finally got someone who explained exactly what was happening with my claim. The peace of mind alone was worth it after weeks of silence. Sometimes these claims get stuck in digital limbo and just need a human to push them along.

I'm in week 7 of review status after getting my monetary redetermination letter! This is absolutely maddening - I've been doing everything right, filing weekly, checking for messages constantly, and still nothing. My savings are completely depleted at this point. I tried calling 15+ times this week alone and either get busy signals or sit on hold for 2+ hours before getting disconnected. The system is clearly broken when people who qualify for benefits have to wait months just to get basic answers. Going to try the state rep route next - hopefully someone in government actually cares that we're struggling out here while bureaucracy moves at a snail's pace.

Update: For anyone reading this thread in the future, PA UC has specific rules about what constitutes "good cause" for a late appeal. According to the PA Unemployment Compensation Board of Review, technical difficulties with the filing system can qualify as good cause if properly documented. Here's what they typically look for: 1. Evidence of attempts to file (dates, times) 2. Evidence of system errors or outages 3. Prompt action once the filing system became available 4. Consistency in your explanation If you prevail on the timeliness issue, the referee will then schedule a separate hearing on the merits of your case (the employer dispute).

I went through something similar about 6 months ago. The key thing that saved me was being extremely detailed in my late appeal explanation. I listed every single date and time I attempted to access the system, described the exact error messages I received, and included my phone's call log showing all my attempts to reach them. What really helped my case was that I also contacted my state representative's office for assistance. They were able to confirm that there were documented system issues during the period I was trying to file. Sometimes having that third-party verification makes all the difference. Don't give up - the system errors are a legitimate reason for missing the deadline. Just make sure you file that late appeal ASAP with as much detail as possible about your attempts to file on time.

This entire thread is such a perfect example of why community forums like this are so valuable! The fact that you were able to crowdsource the solution (same IP address causing fraud flags) and then come back with the resolution is exactly how these communities should work. I'm bookmarking this thread because I know it's going to help so many people in similar situations. The tip about using different devices/connections for household applications should honestly be pinned somewhere - that's the kind of practical advice that can save people weeks of stress and financial hardship. Congratulations on getting both claims resolved! It must feel amazing to finally have that uncertainty behind you and know the backpay is coming. Thanks for being such an active participant in helping others troubleshoot their issues too.

This is such a valuable thread! As someone who just joined this community, I'm blown away by how helpful everyone has been in troubleshooting this issue. The fact that filing from the same computer/IP address can trigger fraud detection is something I never would have thought of, but it makes perfect sense. I'm actually dealing with a similar situation right now - my claim has been stuck in "active but unresolved" status for about 2 weeks. Reading through all the suggestions here, I'm wondering if I should try that Claimyr service since calling PA UC directly has been impossible. The busy signals and disconnections are so frustrating when you're already stressed about finances. Thanks for updating us with the resolution! It's going to help so many people who find this thread in the future. And the tip about using different devices for household applications is gold - definitely something PA UC should warn people about on their website.

I just wanted to add something that might help - if you're getting close to exhausting your benefits, make sure you request your wage and benefit statement from PA UC online. This document shows exactly how your benefit year was calculated and confirms your maximum weeks available. Sometimes there can be small errors or additional quarters of wages that weren't initially counted that could give you a few extra weeks. Also, once your benefit year ends (which is different from exhausting your 26 weeks), you may be able to file a new claim if you've worked enough in recent quarters. The key is having sufficient wages in your new base period. It's worth checking with UC about this possibility, especially if you've done any part-time or gig work during your unemployment. Don't give up hope - I know several people who found jobs in their final weeks of benefits. Sometimes that deadline pressure actually helps motivate both you and potential employers to move faster in the hiring process.

I actually went through a wage calculation review last year and it did result in additional weeks! In my case, I had worked for a company that went out of business and initially PA UC couldn't verify those wages. After submitting my W-2 and pay stubs, they added about $3,200 in wages that increased my weekly benefit amount slightly and gave me 3 additional weeks. To explain the benefit year vs. weeks exhausted - your benefit year runs for 52 weeks from when you first filed your claim. You can receive a maximum of 26 weeks of benefits during that year. So if you filed your claim in January 2025, your benefit year runs until January 2026, but you'll exhaust your 26 weeks sometime around July 2025. After July, you can't collect more benefits until your benefit year ends in January 2026, at which point you could potentially file a new claim if you've earned enough wages. The wage calculation errors aren't super common, but they do happen - especially if you had multiple employers, worked for small businesses, or had any 1099 income that should have been W-2 income. It's definitely worth requesting that statement and reviewing it carefully. The worst they can say is no.