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The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued a reminder warning against scams and other fraud involving the coronavirus and stimulus payments that play on the fear of the virus.
Criminals are continuing to use the COVID-19 Economic Impact Payments as a cover for schemes to steal personal information and money. Other scams the IRS has seen include organized selling of fake at-home test kits, vaccines and advice on unproven treatments. And online, there are fake charities soliciting donations for individuals, along with fraudulent websites and social media accounts that don’t deliver supplies that are purchased.
There are certain keywords to be wary of, both online and in any mailings: "Corona Virus," "COVID-19" and "Stimulus.” These schemes are often blasted to large groups known by the bad actors in an effort to get personally identifying information or financial account information to include account numbers and passwords.
There are several ways to report a scam:
-National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721
- NCDF web Complaint Form
- Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA)
If you receive unsolicited emails or social media attempts to gather information that appear to be from the IRS or an organization closely linked to the IRS, such as the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS), forward it to phishing@irs.gov. Taxpayers should avoid engaging with potential scammers online or by phone.
Learn more by visiting the Report Phishing and Online Scams page on IRS.gov. Official IRS information about the COVID-19 pandemic and economic impact payments can be found on the Coronavirus Tax Relief page on IRS.gov, which is updated frequently.