Even though the IRS is sending more stimulus payments in the form of an expanded child tax credit, demand for stimulus checks continues to grow. Scammers and pranksters are using this to their advantage. Lately, a social media post has been making the rounds claiming that Americans will get another coronavirus stimulus check in July, but it is a hoax.
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Congress last approved a stimulus check in March this year. Since then, there haven’t been any official talks on more stimulus payments, but some people continue to demand for more stimulus checks. A petition calling for regular stimulus checks has gotten almost 3 million signatures.
Pranksters are making use of this to make their posts go viral. For instance, a July 15 Facebook post from one user claims that Congress has approved new legislation that promises $2,500 stimulus payments to eligible recipients this month.
“It passed 10 minutes ago,” the post says. “EVERYONE GETS ANOTHER STIMULUS CHECK FOR $2500 on July 30, 2021. They did it! The article below tells you what you need to do to get yours direct deposited and how to receive it quicker and how to track it.”
Moreover, the post also includes a link to an external page that it says carries instructions on how to receive and track a new round of checks. However, clicking the link directs users to a page with an image of an ape showing the middle finger.
Not the first time
This post has had hundreds of shares, and there are many similar posts making the rounds on social media. This may suggest that many are sharing the post as a joke. However, some of the comments on the post show that many are taking it seriously as well.
“And it passed 15 minutes ago. WE GET ANOTHER STIMULUS CHECK FOR $2500 at July 30, 2021,” says another post. “The article below tells u what you need to do to receive it quicker and how to track it.”
Facebook, on its end, has marked both the posts as “false information.”
Similar posts have been seen earlier as well. For instance, a Facebook post in May claimed a stimulus payment of $2,000 would come by the Memorial Day weekend.
Along with stimulus checks pranks, scams related to stimulus checks are also on the rise. Late last month, the IRS published its 2021 “Dirty Dozen” warning list of tax scams. The list includes many scams related to stimulus payments. Apart from stimulus checks, many also fell for other pandemic-related scams related to unemployment claims.
“We continue to see scam artists use the pandemic to steal money and information from honest taxpayers in a time of crisis,” Chuck Rettig, IRS Commissioner, said in a statement at the time.
