What to Know About the New IRS Stimulus Check Scam

Scammers often claim to be with the IRS and use a variety of stories to get people to make payments or share personal information. In the latest twist, they are offering potential victims money.

Scammers posing as the IRS have been sending text messages with claims that recipients are eligible to receive a $1,400 stimulus check, according to the Better Business Bureau. The aim is to get people to hand over their personal information.

Here’s what to know about the IRS stimulus check scam to avoid becoming a victim.

How the IRS stimulus check scam works

This scam begins with a text message that appears to come from the IRS. According to reports received by the BBB Scam Tracker, the message claims that you are eligible to receive a $1,400 Economic Impact Payment. It instructs you to click a link to provide your personal information to have the amount deposited in your bank account or mailed to you within one to two business days.

The offer might seem legitimate because the IRS announced in December 2024 that it was issuing automatic payments for taxpayers who didn’t claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns. However, the IRS is clear that eligible taxpayers don’t have to take any action to receive these payments.

The link provided in the text message might appear to go to the IRS website, but it will lead to a fake site that could steal your personal information or could download malware on your device, according to BBB.

How to avoid the IRS stimulus check scam

Take these steps to protect yourself from the latest IRS scam and similar scams.

• Know how the IRS contacts taxpayers: The IRS typically contacts taxpayers through mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. You can confirm whether letters you receive from the IRS are legitimate by using the online search option at IRS.gov. The IRS will not contact you out of the blue by phone, email, text message, social media or in-person. It contacts you using methods other than mail only if you’ve opted into those contact methods.
• Don’t click on links in emails or text messages: The IRS won’t ask you to provide personal information or make payments by clicking on links in messages or through a social media site. Plus, a check of the url you’ve been sent will likely show that it’s directing you to a .com, .org or other site, not IRS.gov.
• Be aware what forms of payment the IRS accepts: The IRS doesn’t accept gift cards, prepaid cards or cryptocurrency, which scammers often request. IRS.gov provides a list of accepted payment methods.
• Don’t be pressured: The IRS will not threaten to call law enforcement or immigration officials or to take away your citizenship status, driver's license or business license. If someone claiming to be with the IRS is making these or similar threats, it’s a scam.
• Report scams: You can report suspicious messages to phishing@irs.gov and  BBB.org/ScamTracker. If you think you are a victim of a scam and shared your personal information, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s IdentityTheft.gov site to file a report and get recovery steps. For more, see What to Do if You’ve Been Scammed.

Cameron Huddleston

Cameron Huddleston is an editor-at-large at Carefull and the author of Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk: How to Have Essential Conversations With Your Parents About Their Finances . You can learn more about her at CameronHuddleston.com or follow her on Instagram at @cameronkhuddleston _.