SEMINOLE, Fla. — More than two years ago, the ABC Action News I-Team discovered that some lottery winners in Florida were being turned away, told they had been overpaid in unemployment.
WATCH: 1.6 million Floridians are on a list claiming unemployment overpayment, but few know it
In the years since, hundreds of people have told the I-Team that it doesn't make sense. That they were never told they were overpaid, that they hadn't collected unemployment in years, and that they could not get in contact with anyone at the Florida Department of Commerce for answers.
Not until the I-Team got involved.
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The Department of Commerce has failed to provide answers as to why this is happening, why people whose names we provided were then told they didn't owe anything, how many people are impacted, and how much money their records indicate was overpaid to Floridians on unemployment.
When asked how people can find out if they owe money, the department simply directed people to check their account after they received no phone call, no email, and no letter to alert them that they were overpaid in unemployment.
Many no longer have access to their unemployment account. And everyone who contacts the I-Team says they do so because they cannot reach anyone at the Department of Commerce for help.
Then, the I-Team went directly to the Florida Lottery. Nearly a year ago, they submitted a public records request to learn how many people are on a list the Department of Commerce provides to the Florida Lottery.
As of July 2024, Florida Lottery records indicate 1,675,579 debts are owed to the Department of Commerce. The I-Team was only able to obtain the number, not individual names or debts owed.
Sara Magnetta was the first person to bring the issue to the I-Team's attention in January 2023. She won $1,000 through the Florida Lottery at Christmastime, only to be turned away and told she was overpaid in unemployment years earlier.
“I literally felt a pit in my stomach. Something that was so exciting became an absolute nightmare," she said.
When the I-Team caught up with Magnetta years later, she tried to call the Florida Department of Commerce again to see if she could get through and confirm that her account had no outstanding issues.
A recording stated, "We are currently experiencing higher than average call volumes and all available customer service representatives are assisting other claimants.”
Magnetta said, “It almost makes me hot when I hear that, it’s going back in time.”
Back in 2023, Magnetta felt like she was playing the lottery, trying to get someone at the state to answer the phone.
“You feel lucky if you get through to even get on hold. For your 5-hour hold time," she said at the time.
Since then, more than 800 people have contacted the I-Team for help on this lottery-related overpayment issue. Every name has been sent to the state.
When Magnetta was on the phone, the call disconnected after the recording.
“Oh! That’s how the new system works. You don’t even get to wait on hold now," she said. “When I reached out to you, I assumed I probably wasn’t the only one affected by this, but to see the scale of just how many people have been affected is mind-blowing."
After the I-Team originally got involved, Magnetta was able to collect her winnings. But she is still at a loss as to what happened.
“Two years later, and nothing. Not even why is this happening, an answer to anything, other than, ‘Here’s your money you didn’t owe,'" she said.
The I-Team has called, left messages, and sent dozens of emails to the Department of Commerce to get a better understanding of the issue and ask why it is so difficult for people to get through to someone for help. The department has not responded.
"I mean, thankful for ABC for coming in and helping all of these patrons and these Floridians who are struggling with this, but it shouldn’t be like that. They shouldn’t have to go through you all in order to get these answers," Magnetta said.
Magnetta told the I-Team it's time for lawmakers to "step in and do something about the entire system."
“The entire way that the operation is run, from the phone calls to the notices. Even the website itself. It is nearly impossible, and I can only think of those who are less fortunate and have trouble using the computer," Magnetta said. "If you’re on unemployment and you’re looking for unemployment, you’re probably not in the best of your times. So to have to utilize every resource that you have and all of the time that you have, just to get answers, it’s not acceptable."
Visit this website to contact your state representative.
The I-Team also continues to send the names and information we received through this form to the Department of Commerce.
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