The crooks are coming for your stimulus check. Here’s what to look for
Don’t be a victim. Find out how to avoid dunning scams.
For months, desperate Americans have waited for a second stimulus check to follow the $1,200 payments they received under the CARES Act. And finally, those stimulus payments are on their way. Granted, they’re not worth $1,200 this time around. Instead, they cap at $600 per eligible beneficiary, though that includes adults and dependent children.
If you’ve been hurt financially during the coronavirus pandemic, you’re no doubt desperate for your stimulus payment. And if the IRS has already registered your bank details, you might even have the money in your account already. But if you haven’t received your money yet, you’ll have to wait for a check or debit card in the mail. This could make you vulnerable to winding up as a scam victim.
Don’t get your money stolen
Just as scammers are already trying to trick people into paying to reserve a place online for a coronavirus vaccine, they should also come out in force to rob recipients of stimulus money. The IRS warns the public to be vigilant.
A scam that is already circulating is an SMS scam. A criminal can send you a fake IRS text with a link to click to verify or accept your stimulus payment. This link, however, leads to a non-legitimate website where you are asked to enter personal data which could lead to a host of negative consequences, including identity theft and the loss of your stimulus money.
If you receive this type of text message, the IRS asks you to take a screenshot and email it to the agency at [email protected], along with the date and time. of the message and the original number. This way, the agency can investigate and attempt to nip these scams in the bud.
Of course, text messages aren’t the only tool fraudsters use to steal stimulus or other funds from people. You may receive an unsolicited email with a similar link, or even a phone call asking you to confirm personal information such as your bank account or social security number. The main takeaway here: the IRS is not contacting people individually to have them verify information to complete their stimulus payments. Rather, these payments are distributed through an automated process. Although you can wait several weeks for a check or debit card if the IRS doesn’t have your bank details for direct deposit, you don’t have to do anything in the meantime.
If you’re contacted about your stimulus check by phone, text, email, or even regular mail, it’s definitely not the IRS (unless you’re looking at a check or debit card in the mail – it is legitimate). If in doubt, do not respond to any communication – instead contact the IRS yourself. That way you know it’s really them.
Another important point: if you have elderly family members who are waiting for a stimulus salary, warn them about the aforementioned scams. Unfortunately, older people are more likely to be the target of financial fraud, and a quick warning could save someone you love a world of pain.
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