The US government decided to give a stimulus check to its taxpayers in the hope of reviving the dying economy. They hoped that giving the citizens money to spend would in turn generate demand and increase revenue and thus giving a much-needed boost to the economy.
The Scammers Under The Guise Of Stimulus Checks
Today the Internal Revenue Service implored taxpayers to be wary of fraudulent calls and phishing attempts. IRS informed that in the months of June and July the number of reported scam attempts reached an all-time high.
These attempts can end up in tax-related fraud and identity theft.
IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig notified that IRS does not call to verify or ask taxpayers to provide financial information to expedite stimulus checks or refunds. Likewise, they do not send out surprise emails with attachments. He requested citizens to visit their official site, IRS.gov for the latest information and to not click on links sent to them.
Citizens should be watchful of not only emails but text messages, websites, and social media pages that request money or personal information. Scammers have been trying to take advantage of stimulus checks since they began. They have been tricking taxpayers into giving their financial information.
The latest phishing scams are being linked to fake coronavirus stimulus checks.
Text messages informing that a taxpayer is eligible for a “stimulus payment” and they must click on a link to fill in the required information to claim it. Phishing emails insisting the IRS has calculated a taxpayer’s “fiscal activity” and they are eligible for an Economic Impact payment in a specific amount.
To avoid falling victim to a scam is proper knowledge of how the IRS communicates with taxpayers.
Taxpayers who think they have been deceived by scammers can visit the Taxpayer Guide to Identity Theft to know what steps to take.
