Con artists are after stimulus checks and are using several different tactics to get it.
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To our valued clients,

We know that there's been information and updates about the government's economic impact payments, including some confusion by taxpayers on how to receive the stimulus check. The IRS has updated its website as errors and questions have arisen. Still, with the massive amounts of communication and movement of money, it has created a lot of moving parts, and unfortunately, has also attracted scammers and con artists.

The Federal Trade Commission has received nearly 18,235 consumer complaints about alleged coronavirus-related cons and dirty dealing. Consumers have reported losing $13.44 million dollars to fraud, according to FTC data as of early April.

The IRS is urging everyone to take extra care, especially regarding the economic impact payment. The IRS will not: 

  • Contact you by phone, email, text message, or social media with information about your stimulus payment. Anyone who does is a scammer phishing for your information.
  • Contact you by phone, email, text message, or social media for verification of personal and banking information to receive your stimulus check. 
  • The IRS will not send you a stimulus check and then contact you and tell you they overpaid you and ask you to send the overage back by cash, money order, or wire transfer. That is a fake check scam.
  • The IRS will not use an outside agency, suggesting that they can get your economic impact payment faster by working on the taxpayer's behalf.
Only use the official IRS website to submit information to the IRS.

The vast majority of people do not need to take any action. The IRS will calculate and automatically send the economic impact payment to those eligible.

If you want to check on the status of your payment, you may visit the IRS Get My Payment portal. The portal will allow you to get your payment status, see your payment type, and provide your bank account information (if needed.) You will need your Social Security number, date of birth, and mailing address. They may ask questions from previously filed 2019 or 2018 tax returns to validate your identity.

Scammers are hoping that people will be anxious enough about receiving their stimulus money quickly that they will take the bait before looking closely at the details. If someone has made contact with you, the IRS is encouraging taxpayers to report suspected scams by going to the Report Phishing and Online Scams.

Best Regards,
 
Martin D. Williams, CPA,
Managing Partner
Machen McChesney, LLP

Montgomery: 1761 Taliaferro Trail | Montgomery AL 36117

www.machenmcchesney.com

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