Scammers are sending fake e-mails about the third stimulus check to try to steal personal or financial information. It is a type of government impersonator scam in which criminals are pretending to be from the IRS.
The criminals are using the third stimulus check promise to steal money from the victims as stated by the Federal Trade Commission.
The American Rescue Plan, which President Joe Biden signed in March, authorized the third round of pandemic-era payments, of up to $1,400 a person. The IRS is sending the payments to eligible households through the end of 2021.
The IRS determines your eligibility and the amount of your stimulus check based on your income and other factors. The agency issued all these payments automatically based on the data from a recently filed tax return.
However, some eligible people still haven’t received payments; others who got a first or second round may think they qualify but may not due to different criteria required to receive the third round.
Stimulus Checks: How Are The Scammers Going AboutÂ
Scammers are now sending fake e-mails that appear to be from the IRS, claiming individuals can get a third Economic Impact Payment if they click a link to access a form for additional information and get help with an application, according to an alert the FTC issued Wednesday.
The link is the trick. If you click on the link, the scammer will attempt to steal your money and your personal details to commit identity theft.
This fraud is a type of government impersonator scam, whereby criminals pretend to be from the Social Security Administration, IRS, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or some other government agency.
