If you get a text claiming you’re due a $1,400 stimulus check from what looks to be the IRS, don’t click on any links. The text is a scam, as the federal agency doesn’t send such messages. Yet the Better Business Bureau warns that criminals are impersonating the IRS to trick taxpayers into sharing personal information by texting them fake alerts of their eligibility for extra money.
The devious texts have a truthful air, as they are connected to recent news. In late December, the IRS said it was sending $2.4 million in total to 1 million people to cover those who didn’t get all of their federal stimulus checks during the pandemic.
However, the payments—a maximum of $1,400 per recipient—are automatic, and the IRS sends a letter to those receiving them. Most of the payments are expected to arrive by late January.
Tips from the Better Business Bureau:
· Verify communications: Real IRS notices are sent through postal mail, not texts or emails.
· Avoid clicking links: Never click on links in unsolicited messages. Instead, go to IRS.gov.
· Be cautious of urgency: Scammers create a sense of urgency to make you act quickly. Take time to confirm claims independently.
· Report the scam: Forward suspicious messages to phishing@irs.gov and report them to BBB.org/ScamTracker.