How to Avoid Scams related to the Economic Impact Payments

The IRS has issued warnings about Coronavirus-related scams related to the economic impact payments that many individuals and families are expected to receive. 

The IRS urges taxpayers to be on the lookout for a surge of calls and email phishing attempts that could lead to tax-related fraud and identity theft.

In addition, taxpayers should be suspicious of any text messages, websites, and social media outreach that attempt to request money or personal information. 

In most cases, the IRS will deposit the economic impact payments via direct deposits. The IRS wants to remind individuals that no one from the agency will be reaching out to them by phone, email, mail or in person asking for any kind of information to complete any form related to the economic impact payment. 

Watch out for these potential scams fraudsters could initiate:

• Ask the taxpayer to sign over their economic impact payment check to them.
• Ask by phone, email, text or social media for verification of personal and/or banking information saying that the information is needed to receive or speed up their economic impact payment.
• Suggest that they can get a tax refund or economic impact payment faster by working on the taxpayer's behalf. This scam could be conducted by social media or even in person.
• Mail the taxpayer a bogus check, perhaps in an odd amount, then tell the taxpayer to call a number or verify information online in order to cash it.

To report any coronavirus-related or other phishing attempts, contact the IRS at phishing at irs . gov

Learn more about the economic impact payment or visit the IRS website directly at irs.gov

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Source: The IRS website: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-issues-warning-about-coronavirus-related-scams-watch-out-for-schemes-tied-to-economic-impact-payments