Officials have cautioned taxpayers to be careful of scammers who send out fake stimulus checks to steal money. The Department of Justice warned Americans that a new wave of COVID-19 frauds is sweeping the country ahead of the second batch of stimulus funds being paid out.
The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) has uncovered several stimulus check "scams and other financial schemes aimed to steal money and personal information from taxpayers," according to a statement released on Wednesday.
Scammers trick taxpayers to steal stimulus checks, personal information
Criminals have been encouraged to trick honest taxpayers out of their hard-earned money by monthly payments being delivered to families in September, October, November, and December, coinciding with the impending tax filing season.
Scammers have started sending out stimulus checks that look to be similar to those issued by the government. Con artists contact victims after they have deposited the cash, posing as a government advisor and claiming that the amount has been overpaid.
They then scam naïve Americans by requesting that they refund some of the money. They encouraged anybody who suspects a fake stimulus check scam or other financial fraud to contact the Federal Trade Commission, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and their state attorney general.
Phishing emails and SMS seeking taxpayers to give bank account information and fake stimulus check-related websites are among the other scams. Scammers have also started calling victims and demanding an upfront charge to gain access to funds or claiming that personal information must be confirmed.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans have gotten three stimulus checks. The most recent batch, which included checks for up to $1,400, was mailed out in March.
Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, stated in May that it was up to Congress to decide whether or not another set of stimulus checks will be introduced. Politicians are on summer break until mid-September, lowering the chances of another stimulus package before the fall, as per The Sun.
How to prevent stimulus check scams?
The IRS just released fresh information in an attempt to notify all citizens around the country. The statement was made concerning different coronavirus and stimulus checks schemes, Digital Market News reported.
They stated that the department did not make any calls informing them that they need to approve the receiver's correct information. They will never say that people must provide personal information to receive stimulus payments earlier than the rest of the population.
The department also cautioned everyone not to open the files or URLs provided in text messages. They went on to say that fraudsters do not use text as a tool to scam people.
They can also use email, social media, and websites to deliver their messages. If anybody receives such communications, it is recommended to delete them without opening any attachments or clicking on any links. The IRS also said that any such communications received in connection with the stimulus payments should be forwarded to the email address, "phising@irs.gov."
Is the $7,000 fourth stimulus check real?
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been three waves of stimulus payments. However, as of now, neither the White House nor Congress has authorized a fourth wave of direct stimulus relief, and it is unclear if they will in the future.
That hasn't stopped rumors from spreading on the internet about the federal government issuing a fourth stimulus check, this time for up to $7,000, on August 19. Google's latest daily reports of trending terms have revealed significant increases in internet searches for topics like $7,000 stimulus checks on August 19.
Per MLive, a report falsely claiming that the IRS will send a fresh payment to Americans' bank accounts on August 19. On August 19, you will not receive a fourth $7,000 stimulus check.
The Biden administration has not proposed any direct legislation for a fourth stimulus check, and the majority of Congress appears to be staying away from a fourth stimulus package, for the time being, preferring to focus on more focused measures as the economy recovers. As the economy recovers from COVID-19 pandemic-related shutdowns, people have started signing petitions for a fourth stimulus check, one of which has exceeded 2.7 million signatures.
Related Article: Stimulus Check Update: Got The Wrong Amount From Child Tax Credit or Denied From Previous Payment? Here's What to Do!
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