As part of the $2.2-trillion economic stimulus plan passed by Congress, the United States Treasury Department will be issuing relief checks to American families and businesses.
As we wait for the money to arrive, the Better Business Bureau has a warning. Scammers are using a variety of ways to trick you into giving it to them.
Jim Hegarty is the president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Nebraska, South Dakota, The Kansas Plains and Southwest Iowa. If you receive a text, e-mail or even a phone call from someone claiming to be from the government with a check for you. BEWARE. These fake messages will claim to be able to deposit $1,000 or more directly into your bank account and will likely ask for your banking information. Do not, under any circumstance, give away your personal information via text, e-mail or phone.
Hegarty says if you see this scam make sure you report it to:
- your State Attorney General’s Office at 1-800-300-1986 or go to https://consumer.sd.gov/
- the Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker at https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/
