Beware of Scammers on the Hunt For COVID-19 Stimulus Checks
The IRS is urging citizens to be on high alert for scams related to the COVID-19 economic impact payments. While more than 80 million taxpayers who opted for direct deposit should have already received the payment, millions more will receive the stimulus via a check in the mail.
US Attorneys around the country expect these payments to coincide with a surge in scam calls, emails and text messages as criminals attempt to leverage the payout as an opportunity to defraud individuals. Particularly vulnerable are seniors and the disabled, who don’t normally file tax returns and whose stimulus payment will be sent automatically with no further action required to receive it.
“Our office is on the lookout for scam artists who try to steal these much-needed economic impact payments from the pockets of our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Bailey. “Educate yourself about common scams, be vigilant in protecting your information, and report any attempted fraud.”
The IRS will not contact anyone to request additional information via email, text, call, or in-person to issue an economic impact payment. Any contact asking for information regarding an economic impact payment should be considered suspicious. If contacted, the IRS recommends people hang up the phone, ignore the email, or shut the door, and report the scam to the IRS or the National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or e-mail at disaster@leo.gov.