LANSING, MI (WSYM) - — Red flags about fraud in the state unemployment system has stopped money flowing into a lot of people's bank accounts. As the state tries to figure out who should get money and who shouldn't frustration grows.
340,000 people had their payments stopped over a week ago over concerns of fraud. While some have since been cleared, many of those whose accounts were flagged are still struggling to get their identities verified.
"Yesterday I got another email telling me that my verification of my identity was denied and I needed to verify it again," said Jennifer Sharper who's been dealing with the problems of fraud.
Brady Hiller has been dealing with the problem for weeks.
"I uploaded my driver's license, social security, what I need then they got a verification saying I need to do it again a week after that," said Hiller. "Two weeks later I ended up getting the same thing, a stop payment indicator."
It's just the latest of many struggles in trying to navigate an overwhelmed system.
Dale Young tells Fox 47 he's been calling non-stop and still getting no response.
"I tried just hundreds of times to call UIA, you cannot get through," said Young. "You just can't. They hang up on you. So I started going to my house representative, my senate rep and also the Attorney General's office."
Lawmakers are growing frustrated too, as their offices take call after call. Representative Ann Bollin in Brighton said she's not even able to get any answers.
"12 days ago, I was on a call with the UIA and we were told, 'Representatives, when you call on behalf of your constituents, what you're really doing is putting other people to the back of the line,'" said Bollin.
Young did receive good news this morning but there are still thousands of people across the state waiting to hear back.
"I should be receiving my benefits either by the end of this week or the early part of next," said Young. "I had funds to fall back on, but the people that don't I honestly can't fathom."
Fox 47 reached out to the Unemployment agency with questions, however we got no response.
