ESD account hacked - stuck in SAW security nightmare & can't get benefits

This EXACT thing happened to me in January! The SAW help desk is useless - they don't communicate with ESD so fixing your SAW account doesn't automatically fix your unemployment payments. You need to call ESD directly and tell them you need a 'fraud hold removal' AND 'identity verification acceleration.' It's basically impossible to get through on their main line though.

I help people with this issue quite frequently. Here's what you need to do: 1) First, contact SAW security again, but specifically request a "security escalation" and ask them to place a permanent security block requiring an additional verification step before ANY changes can be made to your account 2) File an identity theft report with the FTC at identitytheft.gov and take screenshots 3) Submit these documents through your ESD account's secure message center (if you can access it) 4) Call ESD directly about the identity verification hold - this is separate from the SAW security issue The key is getting through to an actual ESD agent who can verify your identity and remove the payment hold. Most people don't realize these are two separate systems with different security teams.

omg this is scary! makes me wanna check my account RIGHT NOW. did u change ur passwords for all ur other accounts too? they might have access to ur email if they keep gettin back in?

The same thing happened to me and it took 6 WEEKS to fix!!!! The problem is that once someone puts a fraud hold on your account, ESD treats YOU like the criminal! I had to upload my ID, birth certificate, AND utility bills FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES because they kept saying they "couldn't verify my identity" even though I've been on unemployment for months with no problems! The whole system is DESIGNED TO FAIL so they don't have to pay us!

I work in cybersecurity (not for ESD) and can share some insight on what's happening. There's been a significant increase in unemployment fraud specifically targeting SAW accounts recently. The hackers are likely using credential stuffing attacks where they try passwords leaked from other breaches. A technical tip: when you do regain control of your SAW account, immediately enable multi-factor authentication. Also, create a completely unique password you've never used elsewhere and use a password manager like LastPass or 1Password to store it. For ESD contact, try calling right when they open at 8:00am. The queue fills within minutes.

have u tried messaging them on facebook? theres a esd unemployment group where sometimes the actual workers respond. my cousin got his account fixed that way when he couldnt get thru on phone

When I had my SAW account compromised last year, I actually went in person to a WorkSource office. While they can't directly fix ESD issues, they did help me contact someone who could escalate my case. Bring multiple forms of ID if you go this route.

After seeing all these replies, I wanted to share what finally worked for me. I used Claimyr to get through to ESD after wasting days trying to call myself. It costs money but was worth it - I got through in like 30 minutes instead of days of calling. Once I finally talked to an actual person at ESD, they cleared the fraud hold in minutes. Still took about 5 days for the payment to process though.

UPDATE: I wanted to share what's working for me so far. I followed the security escalation advice with SAW and they put a special block on my account. Then I used Claimyr this morning to get through to ESD (it actually worked!) and got connected with an agent who specializes in fraud cases. She verified my identity over the phone and is expediting my case. Said payments should resume in 3-5 business days if everything checks out. THANK YOU everyone for your help - this community literally saved me from eviction!