SHARE

Here Are Four Ways To Avoid Stimulus Check Scams

Consumer protection and law enforcement agencies are warning people to be wary of scams associated with stimulus checks.

Money

Money

Photo Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=185821

To avoid scammers, the Department of Consumer Protection is circulating tips on how to identify, stop, and/or report fraudsters going after stimulus checks.

The second round of stimulus checks to help Americans deal with an economy hampered by COVID-19 began arriving in people’s mailboxes and direct-deposit accounts in late December. Single people will get $600, a married couple will get $1,200, and there will be an additional $600 per child to families. Everyone who qualifies to receive a stimulus check is expected to do so by the end of January.

Here are some tips on how to avoid a stimulus check scam courtesy of the CT Department of Consumer Protection

  • The federal government will not ask you to pay money upfront to receive a stimulus check. No fees. No charges.
  • The federal government will never call to ask for your Social Security number, bank account, or credit card number. Anyone who asks for this personal identifying information is a scammer.
  • No matter how the payment is distributed, only a scammer will ask you to pay to receive it.
  • Some people will receive the payment in the form of an Economic Impact Payment (EIP) prepaid card. The card is not a scam, and there are ways to cash or use the card without fees.

To report a suspected stimulus check scam, contact the IRS at phishing@irs.gov or the Office of the Inspector General at (800) 359-3898, oigcounsel@oig.treas.gov.

When making a report, try to include the exact date and time of the call or other communication, the phone number of the caller or mailing address of the sender, and a description of the communication.

to follow Daily Voice Pound Ridge and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE