LOUISVILLE, Ky. — With the government expected to start sending out economic impact payments, or stimulus checks, next week, law enforcement officers are warning people to be on the lookout for potential scams related to the payments or to COVID-19.
"Really what's dominating the headlines, whatever you're watching on the news today, the scammers will surely follow," Kentucky State Police Trooper Corey King said.
King said there have already been reports of scams involving the stimulus payments around the country.
"If it hasn't reached you yet, stand by," he said. "It will."
King, who works with AARP and senior centers in Kentucky to educate people about scams, said there are several red flags to look out for when receiving a phone call, email or letter.
One of the first red flags is when somebody is trying to convince you to make an immediate, high-pressure decision. King said it is always acceptable to hang up the phone or not reply while you go do more research on whether this is a legitimate message.
Another red flag is when somebody asks you to give them money in order to make money. The government will not ask for any fees or payments in order to receive the economic impact payment.
"That is a huge red flag in and of itself," King said. "So the government's not going to call you and say, 'Hey, you send us X amount of dollars and we're going to send you this stimulus package."
King said people should also be wary of people posing as a government employee and asking for personal information. The government will not call you to ask for your social security number, bank information or credit card numbers.
"Through all the practices I have ever seen within government, they will not do that," he said.
The IRS has reported the economic impact payment will automatically appear in people's bank accounts if it has the account information from either this year or last year's tax returns. If someone has not filed in the last two years, they can submit their information on the IRS website here.
King said ultimately, people should do their research when they get these potential scams, and it never hurts to be a little skeptical.
"The best thing for me is if it sounds too good to be true, oftentimes it is," he said.
More information on the economic impact payments can be found on the IRS website.
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