Hey Danielle, I'm really sorry you're dealing with this nightmare! I actually went through almost the exact same situation a few months ago - accidentally put the wrong last day of work and got hit with the false statement penalty. It's so frustrating when you know it was just an honest mistake! A few things that helped me: 1. When you file your DE 1000M appeal form, be super specific about what happened and include phrases like "inadvertent error" and "good faith mistake" 2. If you have any text messages or emails about your work schedules, include those as evidence 3. Write a personal statement explaining how the mistake happened - like if you were thinking about one job when filling out info for the other The waiting period is absolutely brutal, but don't give up. Mine actually got resolved in about 6 weeks instead of the full 3 months they quoted me. Keep calling periodically to check on the status too. Sending you good vibes that this gets sorted out quickly! 🤞

I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago and it was absolutely devastating at the time. The key thing that saved me was being extremely thorough with my appeal documentation. Here's what I learned: 1. Get a sworn declaration from anyone who can verify your actual work dates - supervisors, coworkers, HR, etc. 2. Pull your bank records showing direct deposits from both jobs to prove the actual timeline 3. Screenshot your original UI Online account if you can still access it to show the sequence of when you reported what 4. Write a very detailed personal statement explaining the confusion between your two jobs and how the mistake occurred The appeal hearing itself was actually pretty straightforward once I had all this documentation. The judge could clearly see it was an honest mistake given all the evidence. It took about 10 weeks total but I got full backpay for everything. One more tip - if you haven't already, immediately start documenting every phone call, every form you submit, dates and times of everything. This system is broken but persistence and good documentation will get you through it. You're not alone in this fight! 💪

UPDATE: First, thank you all for the advice! Here's what happened: 1. I called Money Network and specifically asked for a provisional credit under Regulation E. The supervisor initially tried to say it doesn't apply, but when I mentioned my CFPB complaint, they suddenly "found a way" to issue a provisional credit within 5 business days. 2. I used Claimyr to get through to EDD (took about 30 min but it worked!) and was able to switch to paper checks for future payments. 3. Filed complaints with both CFPB and DFPI as suggested. It's still frustrating that this happened, but at least I have a path forward now. I'll post another update when the provisional credit comes through. For anyone else with Money Network cards - PLEASE transfer your money out immediately when it arrives!

I'm so sorry this happened to you! This is exactly why I've been warning people about Money Network's security issues. I had a similar experience last year - woke up to find my entire weekly benefit ($320) had been withdrawn from ATMs in Oakland while I was asleep in Sacramento. A few tips that helped me get through this faster: 1. When you call Money Network, ask specifically for their "Fraud Resolution Department" - don't let them transfer you to general customer service 2. Get everything in writing via their secure message system on their website, not just phone calls 3. If you have any other bills due soon, call those companies NOW to explain the situation - most utilities and landlords will work with you if you're proactive Also, once you get your paper checks set up, consider opening a separate "EDD only" account at a credit union. Transfer the money immediately when you deposit the check. Credit unions typically have better fraud protection than the big banks. Stay strong - this community has your back and you WILL get through this!

@OP - I know several people mentioned calling EDD at 8:01am, but honestly, that trick doesn't always work anymore because EVERYONE tries it. That's why I ended up using Claimyr - couldn't get through on my own after trying for days with the early morning trick. Just wanted to give you a realistic expectation so you're not discouraged if the 8:01 method doesn't work.

So glad you got through to EDD! That's a huge relief. Just wanted to add a few things that helped me when I went through this same situation: 1. When you submit the police report to Money Network, also email a copy to their fraud department (not just the online form) - it creates a paper trail 2. Ask EDD for the confirmation number of your emergency payment request - you'll need it if you have to follow up 3. Consider freezing your credit reports with all 3 bureaus since the scammers had enough info to impersonate you The whole process is incredibly stressful but you're doing everything right. Keep copies of EVERYTHING - every form, every confirmation number, every email. Document all your phone calls too (date, time, who you spoke with). This saved me when Money Network tried to claim I hadn't followed proper procedures. You've got this! The emergency payment should help cover your immediate needs while everything gets sorted out.

Hey Ethan! I actually just went through this same process a couple months back when I started my new position. One thing that really helped me was calling right at 8:00 AM sharp - literally had my phone ready to dial at 7:59 and hit call exactly at 8. Got through in about 15 minutes which felt like a miracle! Also, when you do get an agent on the line, they'll likely ask if you want to "deactivate" vs "close" your account - make sure you're clear about what you want. Deactivating keeps it dormant but you can reopen it easily if needed, while closing it completely removes everything. Since you mentioned you got a new job, closing is probably what you want, but just wanted to give you the heads up so you're not caught off guard by the question. Good luck with both the call and the new gig! 🍀

Just wanted to add my experience from a few weeks ago - I was in the same boat trying to cancel my account after finding work. What really helped me was having a backup plan ready. I downloaded one of those auto-redial apps on my phone so I could set it to keep calling while I did other things. Also, write down the exact wording you want to use when you get through - something like "I need to close my unemployment account permanently" so you don't stumble over your words when you're finally talking to someone. The whole process took me about 10 minutes once I actually got an agent on the line, but it took 3 days of trying to get through! Definitely worth it though to have it officially closed. Congrats on the new job! 🎊

To all those having trouble reaching a human at California Unemployment. I just ran across this video that gave me a shortcut to reach a human. Hope it helps! https://youtu.be/Ize0EkN4HDI

Yes, this has been happening to me too! I've experienced the exact same thing - the hold music stops and then complete silence. It's so frustrating because you don't know if you should hang up or keep waiting. I've tried staying on the line for 10-15 minutes after the silence starts, but nothing happens. It seems like there might be a technical issue with their phone system where calls are getting disconnected or transferred improperly. Have you tried calling at different times of day to see if it makes a difference?