A former employee of the California Employment Development Department (EDD), Phyllis Hope Stitt, along with her former boyfriend, Kenneth Earl Riley, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining more than $750,000 in COVID jobless relief. Stitt used her position within the EDD to access personal information and submit fraudulent claims, resulting in significant losses for the EDD. Often the victims were ineligible to receive these benefits as they were either employed, deceased, or not unemployed because of the pandemic. Stitt and Riley used the fraudulently acquired funds for cash withdrawals at ATMs, bank transfers, and retail purchases.

If you were affected by this situation or have concerns about your EDD benefits and need to contact EDD, visit eddcaller.com. This website provides comprehensive information about how to get ahold of EDD customer service. Whether you need to inquire about your unemployment insurance status, report fraudulent activity or have general questions, they can guide you on how to get through to EDD. Remember, a reliable source of information and assistance can make the process smoother and less stressful when dealing with unemployment claims issues.