ESD just sent overpayment letter demanding info - feeling panicked!

OMG YES!! I got the exact same letter yesterday!! Mine was for $6,700 from when I was on unemployment last year after my construction job ended. I'm FREAKING OUT too because there's no way I can repay that kind of money. I called ESD like 15 times today but couldn't get through to anyone. The letter mentions sending in pay stubs and ID verification but I already did all that when I first applied?? This feels like a mistake but I don't know how to fix it 😭

This is actually part of a new verification sweep ESD is doing in 2025. There was a press release about it last month. They're reviewing thousands of claims from the past 18 months due to some new fraud detection algorithm they implemented. It doesn't necessarily mean you did anything wrong. What you need to do is: 1. Gather your ID documents (driver's license, passport, SSN card) 2. Get your employment records (W-2s, paystubs from before and after unemployment) 3. Bank statements showing deposits of your unemployment benefits 4. Any correspondence from when you initially filed your claim Upload all of this through your eServices account under the 'Upload Documents' section. Make sure to reference the case number from your letter. Also send a brief explanation letter stating your case. Don't panic - many of these reviews are resolved in the claimant's favor if you provide proper documentation.

i got a similar letter but mine was from 2 months ago. ignored it cuz i thought it was a mistake lol. then they sent me a final overpayment notice now im in collections for $5200 😬 don't be like me, respond to that letter ASAP!!!

@profile5 not garnishing yet but they said they will start next month if i dont set up a payment plan. trying to figure out if i can still appeal but the collections letter says i might be able to if i had a "good reason" for not responding to first notice

ESD is ALWAYS pulling this kind of stuff!! They approved my claim last year, paid me for MONTHS, then suddenly decided I wasn't eligible and wanted EVERYTHING back. It's like they deliberately wait until you've spent the money before telling you there's a problem. I bet they have some kind of quota for reclaiming benefits. The system is designed to screw over regular people!!

I went through this exact situation in February! I received that scary overpayment letter for $7,900 and nearly had a heart attack. After trying to call ESD for three days straight with no luck, I found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual ESD agent within 30 minutes. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 The agent explained that my claim was flagged by their automatic system but wasn't actually fraudulent. I uploaded my ID and employment documents through eServices like they asked, and about 3 weeks later I received confirmation that my case was resolved and I didn't owe anything. Such a relief! Don't ignore the letter like some people are suggesting - that will definitely make things worse.

@profile4 They just asked the standard security questions - last 4 of SSN, address, date of birth. The agent was able to see my specific case and explained exactly what documents they needed to clear it up. Much better than trying to guess what to send in!

my sister got one of these letters and it turned out someone had used her identity to file for unemployment in another state while she was receiving legit benefits in WA. she had to file a police report for identity theft and send that to ESD along with her ID docs. took like 6 weeks but they eventually cleared it up. might be worth checking your credit report to see if there's anything fishy going on?

@profile4 she uploaded it to eServices and also mailed a copy to some special fraud department at ESD. i think there was a specific address in the letter she got. the police report was super important - they didn't resolve it until she sent that in!

Update: I finally got through to ESD this morning! The representative explained that my claim was flagged because my previous employer filed some quarterly tax documents late, which made it look like I was working during weeks I claimed benefits (I wasn't). She said this is happening to a lot of people right now. I've uploaded my final paystub showing my last day of work, my termination letter, and my ID documents. They said it could take 3-4 weeks to review everything but she put a note in my file that I've responded to the letter. Such a relief to know what's actually going on! Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions. This community is amazing!

I got through too, finally!! In my case they said my employer reported different quarterly wages than what I had reported on my weekly claims. I explained that I had reported everything correctly based on when I was actually paid, not when the employer processed their quarterly reports. The agent said that's a common issue and told me exactly what to send in. They also put a hold on any collection activity while my case is being reviewed. Feeling so much better now!