Fourth Stimulus Check Arriving Soon? IRS Warns Against Scammers

Criminals are using the COVID-19 pandemic to scam people, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said this week.

These scams, which utilize bogus emails, social media posts and unexpected phone calls, among other things, can take various forms, the tax agency revealed in a statement released Monday.

Identity thieves use the federal government's Economic Impact Payments (EIP), also known as stimulus checks, while other scammers create fake job postings on social media, according to the IRS.

These can result in sensitive information being stolen. Criminals can then use the data to file a fraudulent tax return or another activity that can be harmful to victims.

Some scammers also take advantage of pandemic-related job terminations to file for fraudulent unemployment compensation from their states. Others steal money from people using fake charities.

"Scammers continue using the pandemic as a device to scare or confuse potential victims into handing over their hard-earned money or personal information. I urge everyone to be leery of suspicious calls, texts and emails promising benefits that don't exist," IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said.

The IRS has warned people to be wary of text messages, random incoming phone calls, or emails inquiring about bank account information or requesting recipients to click a link or verify data.

"Remember, the IRS won't initiate contact by phone, email, text or social media asking for Social Security numbers or other personal or financial information related to Economic Impact Payments. Also, be alert to mailbox theft. Routinely check your mail and report suspected mail losses to postal inspectors," the agency's statement read.

Taxpayers who received a 1099-G tax form detailing benefits they did not receive are urged by the IRS to contact their appropriate state agency for a corrected form.

The federal government has issued all three rounds of authorized federal checks, and most eligible people have already received them.

A handful of states have issued a fourth stimulus check to their residents.

People missing a stimulus payment were able to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit for the remainder of their 2020 or 2021 tax return, but they may still be waiting on their refund.

The easiest way to check the status of a refund is through the Where's My Refund? online tool or the IRS2Go app, CNBC reported.

The IRS has issued 96 million refunds this filing season as of May 20.

Overall, the United States has reported a total of 84,913,618 COVID-19 cases and 1,004,732 virus-related deaths, data provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed.