Maryland AG Issues Consumer Alert To Avoid Stimulus Check Scams

BALTIMORE, MD – Maryland's Attorney General issued a consumer alert Thursday morning to help residents avoid getting scammed out of money or their personal information when they receive their stimulus payments, which have been sent out to residents in response to the new coronavirus pandemic.

Stimulus payments will be made by direct deposit or sent by mail from the federal government according to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. By understanding basic information about the stimulus payments, the attorney general hopes to help Maryland residents avoid getting scammed.

What you need to know:

• Residents of the U.S. who meet certain income limits are eligible to receive stimulus payments, which means not every U.S. resident will receive a payment.
• The IRS will be administering the payments. Any communication from other agencies that claim to be able to get you a stimulus payment is likely a scam.
• The IRS will not call, text, email or contact you on social media asking for personal or banking information related to stimulus payments.
• The IRS will mail you a letter to your last known address about two weeks after your payment providing information on how the payment was made and what to do if you did not receive it.
• If you are eligible for a stimulus payment and do not automatically receive a direct deposit or check, only use the online form available through IRS.gov called "Non-filers: Enter Payment Info" to provide personal information.
• You do not have to pay to get your stimulus money. The stimulus payment is not income and you do not have to pay taxes on it now or in the future.
• The IRS will not tell you to deposit your stimulus check then send them money back because they paid you more than they owed you. That is a fake check scam.

For more information, visit IRS.gov. If you think you have been the victim of a scam, file a complaint with the Maryland Consumer Protection Division.

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