I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - I know exactly how frustrating and scary it is when your benefits just stop with no explanation! I went through something very similar a few months ago where my payments randomly stopped and I couldn't get through to anyone for weeks. After reading through all these comments, I'm honestly impressed by how many people are vouching for Claimyr. I was super skeptical at first too because it sounds like one of those "too good to be true" services, but when you're facing eviction and bills are piling up, you kind of have to try everything. The consistency of positive feedback from so many different people here is pretty compelling. I'd also definitely recommend trying some of those off-peak calling strategies people mentioned - like Tuesday or Wednesday afternoons at random times instead of the usual peak hours when everyone else is calling. The system clearly can't handle the volume during normal business hours. Don't give up on getting what you're entitled to! I know the financial stress is overwhelming when you're down to your last few hundred dollars, but based on everyone's experiences here, persistence really does seem to pay off eventually. Your benefits are rightfully yours and you shouldn't have to suffer because the system is broken. Hang in there and please keep us updated on what ends up working for you - we're all rooting for you!

Wow, reading through all these comments is both reassuring and infuriating - I had no idea so many people were stuck in this same nightmare! I'm on day 12 of calling multiple times per day and getting absolutely nowhere. My payments stopped in mid-February with that dreaded "call to resolve" message and I'm starting to panic about my mortgage payment next week. I have to say, I came into this thread super skeptical about services like Claimyr because they sound exactly like those "one weird trick" scams that are everywhere online. But honestly, seeing SO many different people here vouching for it across all these comment threads is making me seriously reconsider. When you're facing financial ruin and the official system is completely broken, sometimes you have to try unconventional solutions. I'm definitely going to give it a shot tomorrow morning, along with those oddly specific timing strategies people mentioned (Tuesday 2:47pm sounds weirdly random but I'll try anything at this point!). It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to pay a third party just to access benefits we've already qualified for, but if it means finally reaching an actual human being after nearly two weeks of automated torture, it might be the best $30 I ever spend. The stress of not knowing when your income will resume while watching bills pile up is genuinely affecting my mental health. Thank you everyone for sharing real solutions and experiences - this community is keeping me sane right now!

Update: Did you ever get through? I've found that using the Contact Us form on the NY.gov unemployment website sometimes works better than calling. Select "I need to speak to a representative about my claim" from the dropdown. They're supposed to call back within 2-3 business days. Not ideal but better than endless busy signals.

I feel your pain - the NY unemployment system is absolutely broken. I went through the same nightmare for over a month trying to get my claim straightened out. What finally worked for me was a combination approach: I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned (totally worth it even though I was skeptical at first) AND I also reached out to my state assemblyperson's office. They have a constituent services department that can actually get NYSDOL to respond faster. Just Google "[your area] state assembly" and call their office - they deal with unemployment issues all the time. Don't give up, you're entitled to your benefits and there ARE ways to get through, even though the system makes it ridiculously hard.

I just went through this exact same nightmare last month! The NY unemployment system is absolutely brutal with these mother's name verification issues. After weeks of frustration, I finally figured out my problem - I had used a completely different format back in 2020 than what I was trying now. Here's what worked for me: I found an old confirmation email from when I first applied that showed I had entered my mom's name as "Patricia A. Johnson" (with the middle initial), but I had been trying to enter just "Patricia Johnson" when updating my direct deposit. The system wanted that EXACT match including the middle initial! My advice: definitely dig through your old emails first - search for anything from "nys.gov" or with "unemployment" in the subject line. Also try these variations systematically: - Maiden vs married name - With/without middle name or initial - Full legal name vs any nicknames you might have used - Check for extra spaces or typos - Try different spellings if applicable (Catherine vs Katherine, etc.) Use the desktop website instead of mobile - it seems to handle the formatting better. And don't worry about getting locked out, I tried probably 15+ variations over several days with no issues. This problem is definitely solvable! Once you find that exact match, everything will work perfectly. The system is ridiculously picky but at least it's consistent. Good luck! 🤞

I'm going through this exact same issue right now! The NY unemployment system keeps rejecting my mother's name when I try to update my direct deposit info. After reading through all these helpful responses, I realize I've been approaching this all wrong - just randomly trying different variations instead of being systematic about it. I think my problem might be that I used my mom's maiden name when I originally applied in 2020, but I've been entering her married name when trying to update. I'm going to search through my old emails tonight to see if I can find any confirmation messages from when I first filed my claim. The tips about checking for middle initials, extra spaces, and even punctuation are so helpful - I never would have thought the system would be that picky about exact formatting after all these years! Also definitely switching to desktop instead of mobile since multiple people mentioned that works better. It's honestly ridiculous that we have to play detective just to update our banking information, but I'm feeling way more hopeful now that I have a real game plan. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions - this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'll come back and update if I figure out what my specific formatting issue was. 🤞

This thread has been so helpful! I'm literally in the exact same situation - just got hired on Tuesday and have my career advisor meeting scheduled for next Monday. I was completely planning to skip it since I figured "why bother now that I have a job?" but reading everyone's experiences has totally changed my perspective. The consistency is incredible - every single person who actually attended had a quick 15-20 minute positive experience where they properly closed their case, while the people who skipped ended up dealing with appeals, overpayment notices, and months of stress. When you put it that way, it's such an obvious choice! What really helped ease my anxiety was reading how these advisors are actually excited to hear success stories. I was worried it would be awkward showing up employed, but it sounds like they're totally used to this situation and genuinely happy when people find work. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their real experiences instead of just guessing - this community is amazing! Sometimes spending 20 minutes to do things properly is totally worth avoiding potential headaches later. Definitely attending my meeting and handling this the right way. Congrats to OP and everyone else who found work! 🎉

This thread is amazing! I'm in literally the exact same situation - just accepted a job offer on Wednesday and have my career advisor meeting this coming Tuesday. I was 100% planning to ghost it thinking "I'm employed now, what do they need from me?" but wow, reading everyone's experiences here has completely flipped my perspective. The pattern is SO consistent it's almost scary - every single person who actually showed up had a super quick positive experience (like 15-20 mins max) where they filled out a simple form, got congratulated, and had their case properly closed. Meanwhile everyone who skipped ended up in appeals hell dealing with overpayment notices for literal months. What really changed my mind was realizing this isn't just about being polite - it's about protecting the benefits I already received. Makes total sense that they want to officially close things out rather than just having people disappear from the system. Also love hearing that these advisors are actually excited about success stories! I was dreading it being awkward but sounds like they're totally used to this situation and genuinely happy when people find work. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences instead of just speculation - this community is incredible! Definitely going to my meeting and handling this properly. Sometimes doing the "boring responsible thing" is totally worth 20 minutes to avoid months of potential drama. Congrats OP on the new job! 🎉

ugh the waiting week thing is so confusing!! I thought it was just gone forever when I didn't get paid the first week. Good to know they actually pay it back eventually

I'm dealing with the same issue right now! Been getting regular payments for 5 weeks but still no waiting week refund. From what I've read on the NYS DOL website, they're supposed to automatically release it after you've received 3 weeks of benefits, but there seems to be processing delays happening system-wide. I've seen some people say it can take anywhere from 4-10 weeks depending on when you filed. Definitely frustrating when you're counting on that money! Let me know if you figure out what's causing the delay.