Ever since the Obama Administration took office and discussion began about an additional stimulus check, the internet has been heavy laden with “opportunities” for people to cash in early and take benefit of these additional funds. Most of the readers at SmartSecurityPeople.com are probably already vigilant about not being duped by these scam artists, especially if you have read our article on Protecting Your Identity. However, we feel it necessary to bring this latest scam to light for our new readers.

The process simply starts when you stumble upon an email, online ad, or website that says you are eligible for an economic stimulus payment. The message looks like it may be from a rebate company or possibly even straight from the Internal Revenue Service (I.R.S.). When you click through their provided information, they confirm your eligibility and guarantee you a payment but you first have to submit a small fee to them to cover the processing of your funds. The moment you send them the funds it will be the last you hear from them and you will never see your money again.

Another stimulus scam, very similar to the one above, involves them skipping the whole small fee request and going directly for the jugular by asking for your banking information. You know… to deposit all of your extra stimulus money electronically and efficiently into your checking account.  In reality, they will use this information to drain your bank account, open up other accounts in your name, and create a domino effect of problems for you try and sort through at a later date.

The last type of stimulus scam that we have come across at SmartSecurityPeople.com is not unlike the two we have already covered. The difference though, is that instead of going after your financial information directly, they will encourage you to click on certain links or download forms. In turn, this downloads spyware , viruses, and harmful software on your computer that can be utilized to capture your personal information and forward it onto an identity thief.

So.. you ask.. What can I do to not fall prey to this type of scam?  The answer is fairly simple. If you get an email that sounds like any of the scams above, you will want to delete it immediately. If you come across a website or online ad that is attempting to collect a fee or get your financial information, you will want to steer clear and quickly leave that area of the internet.  If you receive a phone call inquiring about similar information, you will want to hang-up …or… you can gather all their contact information and pass it onto the FTC at (877) 382-4357.  The key thing to remember as well is that the IRS will not send you emails, in most cases they will not call you directly, and they certainly will not be sponsoring stimulus check ads online. They still like to do business the old fashion way, which usually involves snail mail.

Hope this information helps our readers at SmartSecurityPeople.com. If you have additional comments or tips about economic stimulus check scams, please feel free to leave a comment. We always enjoying hearing from you!