The federal government has issued a warning to U.S. residents: If you receive a call, letter, text or email about your $1,200 stimulus check, it’s a scam.
The U.S. Treasury Department reports some residents have already been contacted by people presenting themselves as government officials, asking for personal information need to ensure delivery of their checks. Some have even asked victims to pay a fee, officials say. However, giving the caller what he asks for won’t affect the delivery of the check; it will only result in money being stolen from the victim, officials say.
According to the Treasury Department’s website, government officials will not be contacting check recipients. Instead, the mailing list is being compiled using information provided by the Internal Revenue Service, based on 2018 and 2019 tax returns. The checks are expected to arrive within the next three weeks.
What are you going to do with your $1,200? How has someone tried to scam you in the past?