LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — ID.me says current unemployment fraud cases are equal to the largest cyberattack in U.S. history. So now, all unemployment claimants in Nevada must confirm their identity with ID.me in order to get through to actually file a claim.
RELATED: Nevada's Department of Employment finally offers some advice for ID.me problems
The problem is, the system isn’t working for some.
"It’s been very frustrating," said Las Vegas resident Jacqueline "Jackie" Clebanoff. "They talk about a referee to help you but you can’t get through."
Clebanoff says that Nevada Department of Unemployment, Training and Rehabilitation was really good with sending her weekly unemployment payments during the pandemic but since they implemented the ID.me process, things took a turn. She is scared of running out of money.
Clebanoff and her daughter tried to call DETR but until she is ID.me verified, she cannot file her weekly unemployment claim over the phone either.
"My daughter helps me because I’m not very experienced with computers and she is very experienced. When she got to the part where it asks for social security there was nowhere to put the number. She said she can’t go any further. I thought she was kidding," said Clebanoff.
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She isn’t the only one. ID.me gave us a statement saying 90% of claimants get through the process in a breeze. People with difficulties getting in have been escalated to the member support team and contacted directly.
“ID.me understands these benefits are very important to individuals in Nevada and across the U.S., which is why we prioritize accessibility. With accessibility being core to ID.me and our No Identity Left Behind initiative, we are the only vendor to offer a video chat verification process for those who don’t have a presence in records. While 90% of claimants will verify through our self-service flow in less than five minutes, those who need additional support are directed to video chat typically in less than 10 minutes. We will also soon be bringing in-person verification to 500+ retail locations across the U.S.
For those who are facing difficulties and have sought support from KTNV, the ID.me team is here to assist you in this process. These individuals have all been escalated to the member support team and contacted directly by an ID.me representative for direct support through the verification process. We have also included additional tips with a step-by-step guide[link.edgepilot.com] on our website.
ID.me partners with 27 states, including Nevada, to streamline access to these important unemployment benefits while combatting unprecedented fraud. The massive scale of unemployment fraud we’re currently seeing is equivalent to the largest cyber attack in our country’s history – and it’s occurring every day. With a focus on accessibility, we are proud to partner with states to help combat this threat. To date, we’ve blocked $1 billion in fraud each week and helped millions Americans receive their unemployment benefits. Read more about this situation here: hhttps://www.fedscoop.com/how-arizona-saved-40-billion-in-payouts-on-fraudulent-unemployment-claims/ [link.edgepilot.com].
To protect our country from these criminals and people from identity fraud, it is also critical government agencies meet the latest standards set by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and provide access to all individuals. Most government agencies use data brokers or credit bureaus for identity verification forces individuals who are not present in records to not be able to verify at all. We believe this should not be standard.”
Clebanoff is still waiting to hear from them.
"I can’t sleep at night. You want to have a few bucks. You don’t want to be a burden to your children ever. That’s what this is becoming because of this."
ID.me has included additional tips and a step-by-step guide that you can find here.
