The Federal Trade Commission is alerting consumers about potential scams with the American Rescue Plan Act.
Excerpt from the Federal Trade Commission article "More money is coming to families…and scammers are ready."
As part of the American Rescue Plan Act, eligible families will get monthly payments from the government from July 15 through December 2021. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will send these monthly payments directly to people through direct deposit, paper checks, or debit cards.
When money from the government is in the news, we know scammers are about to run their standard playbook. They may call, email, text, or DM you. They’ll say they can help you get your payments earlier (they can’t), get you more money (also no), or tell you other lies (for sure). Here’s the real deal:
- Only the IRS will be sending these payments. Anyone trying to “help” you get your child tax credit is really after your money.
- The government will NEVER call, text, email, or DM you out of the blue, asking for money or information. Keep your money — and your Social Security, bank account, debit and credit card numbers — to yourself.
- Nobody legit will ever demand that you pay by gift card, wire transfer through companies like Money Gram or Western Union, or cryptocurrency. That’s a scam, every time.
If someone tries to scam you out of these payments or anything else, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Read more for what you need to know about protecting yourself against American Rescue Plan Act scammers.
