Virus economic relief scammers look for victims

Scammers are looking for easy marks as people await their economic impact payments resulting from the COVID-19 virus emergency.

Officials with the Virginia Coronavirus Fraud Task Force and the Internal Revenue Service issued a fraud warning Thursday.

Within weeks, they said, most Americans will get an economic impact payment in the form of a direct deposit to their bank account. People who typically get a federal tax refund through a paper check will get their payment in the mail.

“Scammers may try to get you to sign over your check to them or get you to ‘verify’ your filing information in order to steal your money,” officials warned in a press release. “Your personal information could then be used to file false tax returns in an identity theft scheme. Because of this, everyone receiving a COVID-19 economic impact payment is at risk.”

The IRS offered these tips:

• The IRS will NOT call and ask you to verify your payment details. Do NOT give your bank account, debit account, or PayPal account information to anyone — even if someone claims it’s necessary to get your check. It’s a scam.

• If you receive a call, do NOT engage with scammers, even if you want to tell them that you know it’s a scam. Just hang up.

• If you receive texts or emails claiming that you can get your money faster by sending personal identifying information or clicking on links, delete these texts and emails. Do NOT click on any links in those texts or emails.

• Reports are swirling about bogus checks. If you receive a “check” in the mail now, it’s a scam. It will take the Treasury Department a few more weeks to mail out the COVID-19 economic impact payments. If you receive a “check” for an odd amount (especially one with cents), or a check that requires you to verify the check online or by calling a number, it’s a scam.

• Remember, the federal government will not ask you to pay anything up front to get a legitimate benefit. No fees. No charges. Anyone who asks for an up-front payment for a promised benefit is a scammer.
To report a COVID-19 fraud scheme or suspicious activity, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline at 866/720-5721 or email to disaster@leo.gov.

For more information, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdva/covid-19-fraud or www.irs.gov/coronavirus.