As scammers continue to leverage the ongoing pandemic to steal stimulus checks and data, the IRS is urging taxpayers to be on the lookout for scams involving false job offers, tax refunds, and global epidemic benefits such as stimulus checks.
Rettig advised Americans to be mindful of questionable calls, texts, and emails offering nonexistent benefits and to double-check the information on a reputable government website like IRS.gov. According to the Internal Revenue Service, the federal government has distributed all three permitted rounds of stimulus checks (officially known as Economic Impact Payments), and a considerable number of eligible persons have already obtained their checks.
Fake Stimulus Check Links Going Around
However, criminals continue to use stimulus checks to attract victims and “represent an ongoing concern,” according to the FBI.
For the balance of their 2020 or 2021 tax returns, anyone who missed a stimulus check might get a Recovery Rebate Credit. They may, however, still be waiting for their reimbursement. This filing season, the IRS had awarded 96M refunds as of May 20.
According to the IRS, there have also been false job offers made on social media, encouraging consumers to provide their personal information. Because thieves can use the information to submit a bogus tax return in the victim’s name, there is a tax risk. In April, job listings were near all-time highs, indicating unprecedented demand for labor.
Scammers took advantage of the pandemic’s huge unemployment by filing for unemployment benefits in the identities of others using stolen personal information. The IRS advised taxpayers who received a 1099-G tax form describing benefits they did not get to contact their state agency for a rectified form. According to the US Department of Labor, the state will issue an updated tax form and update your record with the IRS on your behalf.
