Buzz
The coronavirus pandemic has caused major disruptions to the U.S. economy, prompting the president to work with Congress on providing economic relief checks to many citizens. We'll provide more details once the program is officially announced, but until then, make sure to protect yourself from scammers.
As the government prepares to issue stimulus checks, the Federal Trade Commission is warning consumers to be cautious of anyone offering quick cash. Here are a few tips from the FTC's blog:
1. The government will never ask for any payment upfront to receive these funds. No fees, no charges, nothing.
2. The government will never call you asking for your Social Security number, bank details, or credit card information. Anyone who does is a scammer.
3. The stimulus checks aren't yet available. Anyone claiming they can get you the funds immediately is likely trying to scam you.
You might think this advice is obvious, but consider sharing it with others—perhaps your parents, grandparents, or elderly neighbors who might be vulnerable to these scams. Even children who don’t remember the previous stimulus checks from the recession could benefit from your guidance.
“Look, under normal circumstances, we'd wait until we know more about the payment plan before issuing a warning like this,” said Jennifer Leach, associate director of the Division of Consumer and Business Education. “But these are not normal times, and we expect scammers will try to take advantage of this situation.”
