Stimulus Scams and What to Look For

Scammers use every opportunity to try and steal your money and your identity. During this COVID-19 “Safer at Home” time, they have ramped up their efforts. Here are some things to look for:

1. Phone Scams 
   Government agencies like the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Treasury Department will NOT contact you by phone to collect information for stimulus payment processing.
2. Phishing Scams
   Government agencies will not email or text you to collect information for stimulus payment processing. Watch for suspicious emails or texts with links or attachments requesting information for processing stimulus deposits or checks. If you receive one, do not click the link or open the attachment. It’s a scam. Delete it.
3. State-related scams
   State agencies will also not call, email or text you to collect information or a fee to process a stimulus payment. To date, no state has introduced their own version of a stimulus payment.

As of now, we are only aware of one communication a taxpayer will receive from the IRS. No later than 15 days after distributing a stimulus payment, the IRS is required to mail a notice to the taxpayer indicating the payment amount, whether the payment was mailed or deposited, and a phone number to call if the taxpayer did not receive the payment.

Victims or targets of stimulus payment scams should report it immediately to the Federal Trade Commission, www.ftc.gov/complaint.

As we find out more information, we will make that available to you.