Buzz
I still haven't received my IRS stimulus check; each time I visit the IRS's Get My Payment portal, I encounter the message 'we cannot determine your eligibility for a payment at this time.' I'm not alone in this situation, which is why many are turning to places like Reddit’s r/stimuluscheck subreddit to vent their frustrations about the stimulus check process.
Sadly, some people have been posting images and screenshots—ranging from those of stimulus-check envelopes to notifications of direct deposits.
To give credit where it's due (pun intended), I haven't come across any posts that show actual bank account details. However, as Julia Glum points out at Money.com, even a screenshot with personal information obscured can still make you a target for fraudsters:
Fraudsters can take advantage of your spending habits to create a convincing phishing email. By pretending to be those brands, they can lower your guard—and then steal your personal information.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’ve been getting a lot more phishing emails lately. Here’s one I received recently from the address '[email protected]':
Yes, I understand the irony of sharing a screenshot in a post telling you not to share screenshots—but that’s exactly what a phishing email looks like. The only reason I didn’t click on the 'Verify Information' button is that I took the time to check both the email address and the mailing address the scammers thoughtfully included at the bottom: 'Canterbury, 19 Copsey Place, Avondale, Auckland 1026, United States.'
If you're still waiting for your stimulus check to arrive, make sure your TFAs are in place—and once your payment arrives, avoid taking a screenshot of it.
If you receive an email that seems legitimate, asking you to log in or verify your account details, always verify the sender's email address before clicking or tapping on anything.
