I went through this exact same True ID verification process about 2 months ago and it was absolutely terrible, but I did eventually get through it! Here's what finally worked for me after weeks of frustration: For the photos, lighting is absolutely critical. I set up by a large window around 11am (good natural light but not harsh), used a solid black poster board as my background, and made sure my documents were completely flat - no curves or wrinkles at all. Take the photos straight down, no angles whatsoever. I failed the photo verification 4 times before getting this setup right. For getting through on the phone, the early morning strategy is legit - I called at 7:57am to get in the queue before they officially opened at 8am. It took me 5 attempts over different days, but I finally got through to a really helpful rep who walked me through exactly what was wrong with my submissions. The whole process took about 3.5 weeks from start to finish, but once everything was approved, I got all my back payments deposited within a few days. It's such a broken and frustrating system, but don't give up - persistence really does pay off! Also, definitely keep checking both your regular email and spam folder obsessively. I almost missed a critical verification email that ended up in spam. Hang in there - you'll get through this! 💪

I'm going through the exact same True ID verification nightmare right now and this thread has been such a lifesaver! Reading everyone's detailed experiences and tips gives me so much hope. I've been stuck for about 10 days and was starting to really stress about my rent payment coming up. Based on all the advice here, I'm definitely going to try the natural window lighting + black background setup that seems to work for so many people. I think I've been making the mistake of using my phone's flash, which probably creates too much glare. The 7:57-7:58am calling strategy sounds like pure gold - I had no idea about getting in the queue before they officially open. I've been calling randomly during the day and just getting busy signals or endless holds. @Ethan Moore - hang in there! This community has shown that even though the system is completely broken, people do eventually make it through with enough persistence. We're all cheering you on! Thank you to everyone who shared their step-by-step processes. It's incredibly reassuring to know there's actually a method to this madness and that we're not alone in dealing with this bureaucratic nightmare! 💪🙏

I've been waiting since March 2021 for my Maryland unemployment backpay and this thread has been incredibly valuable! After reading everyone's experiences, I'm ready to try the multi-pronged approach that seems to work best. I'm going to start with the 1-1-3 phone tree method that Evelyn and others have had success with, and I'll definitely keep that detailed spreadsheet of calls like Kiara suggested. I also plan to file complaints with both the AG's office and the DOL ombudsman program - having those multiple pressure points makes total sense. The Maryland Legal Aid clinic info from GalaxyGuardian is going on my to-do list for this week too. It's frustrating that we have to become experts in navigating this broken system just to get money we're legally entitled to, but I'm grateful for this community sharing what actually works instead of the generic DOL website runaround. Going to start making calls tomorrow morning and will update with my progress. For anyone else still fighting this - we've got this! The success stories here prove the money is there, we just have to persist through the bureaucracy to get it.

I've been dealing with Maryland unemployment backpay issues since January 2021 and this thread is exactly what I needed to find! Reading through everyone's experiences and strategies gives me so much hope after almost a year of getting nowhere. I'm planning to implement the combination approach that seems to work best: using the 1-1-3 phone tree method, filing complaints with both the AG's office and DOL ombudsman, and contacting Maryland Legal Aid. The detailed call tracking spreadsheet idea is brilliant - I can't believe I haven't been documenting my attempts this whole time. I'm also going to try those specific time windows for calling (early morning at 7:30 AM and Tuesday/Wednesday afternoons) that others have mentioned. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to become system experts just to get our own money, but I'm grateful this community exists to share real solutions instead of the useless generic advice from official channels. Starting my campaign tomorrow and will definitely update with results. Thank you all for proving that persistence can actually work - knowing others have successfully gotten their backpay after months of waiting keeps me motivated to keep fighting!