The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs is warning you about stimulus scams hitting the state, where scammers are using the federal stimulus package as a way to steal people's money and personal information.
One email uses a picture of President Obama and promises a "free stimulus check" of varying amounts, from $613.27 to several thousand dollars. Recipients of the email are directed to another link where they have to "participate in the program" in order to get a check. Participation requires that they complete several "reward offers", such as magazine subscriptions the consumer has to buy or a credit card that's only activated with a purchase.
Another email claims to be from the Internal Revenue Service and asks for sensitive personal information like a bank account number or Social Security number in order for the IRS to process their stimulus check. One simple rule to remember: the federal government will never contact you by email regarding rebates, refunds or stimulus funds. The IRS also wouldn't ask you for your personal information. The agency already has it.
"People need to guard their personal information," says Adam Protheroe, with the Department of Consumer Affairs. "Be careful if somebody calls up and asks for that information, especially in relation to a stimulus check, because that's not how this current stimulus plan works." The stimulus plan as passed includes tax cuts, so consumers will have less money taken out of their paychecks. They will not receive a check in the mail.
Another scam uses the U.S. mail instead of email. A consumer receives a check that looks real, and is supposedly a stimulus check. Instructions tell consumers to call a toll-free number. When they do, they're told to deposit the check but to wire a certain amount back, either to enter into foreclosure rescue or to get information on how to use stimulus money to buy foreclosed properties in the area.
"The problem is the check is fake and now the money that you've sent them, you owe the bank," Protheroe says.
For more information on these scams, or to report potential scams you've received, you can call the Department of Consumer Affairs at 1-800-922-1594 or go online here.
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