TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody today issued a Consumer Alert urging Floridians who have not already received a stimulus payment from the federal government to take steps to avoid benefits-related scams. According to the Internal Revenue Service, millions of Americans have already received stimulus payments and millions more are still waiting on the emergency benefits. The IRS created a payment tracking tool for those still waiting.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “This new tool can help Floridians avoid stimulus-related fraud. By working directly with the IRS to track your payment—the likelihood of being duped by scammers sending fake messages designed to steal payments or personal information is greatly reduced. I want to encourage all Floridians to stay up-to-date on COVID-19 news and government actions associated with the pandemic, so they are better prepared to spot and report scams.”
The new payment tracking tool can be accessed at IRS.gov. On the website, users can also access the IRS tool designed to allow beneficiaries to request an earlier stimulus payment. Payments are being made via direct deposit and checks in the mail. While we understand the website experienced some early glitches, it appears to now be operating. If you have issues accessing the site, contact the IRS at 1(800) 829-1040.
Even before the U.S. Congress passed the COVID-19 stimulus package, scammers were already sending fake message designed to exploit the payments to steal people’s personal and financial information. By working with the IRS directly, Floridians should be better prepared to ignore scam messages.
Attorney General Moody issued nine Consumer Alerts since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in Florida. Several of these alerts related to stimulus payments and can be accessed at the links below.
CONSUMER ALERT: COVID-19 Robocall Scams Abound
CONSUMER ALERT: Scammers Know Direct Deposit Stimulus Payments are on the Way
CONSUMER ALERT: Download Tips to Guard Against COVID-19 Scams
CONSUMER ALERT: Scammers Exploit US Census and COVID-19 to Rip Off Floridians
CONSUMER ALERT: Scammers Use COVID-19 Stimulus Package to Target Floridians
To view previous Consumer Alerts about emerging COVID-19 related scams, go to MyFloridaLegal.com.
Anyone who encounters a coronavirus stimulus package scam or any other types of COVID-19 fraud, should contact the Florida Attorney General’s Office at 1(866) 9NO-SCAM or MyFloridaLegal.com.
