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A sign for the Internal Revenue Service building in Washington, May 4, 2021. (AP)
If Your Time is short
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The IRS announced an automated payment of up to $1,400 for people who qualified for the Recovery Rebate Credit but did not claim it in their 2021 tax returns.
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No action is required.
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Online scams often promise a “no-strings-attached” $1,000 stimulus for “all Americans” and ask you to click on a link. Don’t fall for it.
If you scroll through your Facebook feed, you might see a promotion for a new government stimulus, available to all Americans. The claim: You could get $1,000, no strings attached, available within 24 hours. Just click a link.
It’s everywhere: multiple Facebook pages run ads about it constantly. PolitiFact debunked posts saying a "no-strings-attached $1,000 stimulus" check has been approved ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s second term.
If your gut tells you it’s a scam, it’s likely correct. But one particular government payment is legitimate and is promoted more quietly. How will you know which is real?
The IRS said Dec. 20, 2024, that it will issue automatic payments through January 2025 to people who qualified for the Recovery Rebate Credit but did not claim it in their 2021 tax returns. That refundable credit is available to people who did not receive the stimulus payments known as the Economic Impact Payments.
"Qualified taxpayers are those who filed a 2021 tax return, but where the data field for the Recovery Rebate Credit was left blank or was filled out as $0 when the taxpayer was actually eligible for the credit," the agency said on its website.
The agency will inform eligible taxpayers of the payment through a letter, and the IRS will deliver the payments through direct deposit or by paper check.
It does not require you to click a link to a sketchy website. It requires no action at all.
Recipients should expect the payment to arrive by late January. The IRS estimated payments totaling to about $2.4 billion.
If you haven’t filed your 2021 tax return, the IRS said you could still qualify; you just need to file your return by April 15.
"Looking at our internal data, we realized that one million taxpayers overlooked claiming this complex credit when they were actually eligible," IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a statement on the agency’s website. "To minimize headaches and get this money to eligible taxpayers, we’re making these payments automatic, meaning these people will not be required to go through the extensive process of filing an amended return to receive it."
Before clicking a link to check out a government program, make sure you’re looking at an official government website — these websites have URLs ending in .gov. The IRS urges people to watch for odd links. "All trusted IRS links go to irs.gov," the agency said on its website.
Look more closely at the Facebook page or account posting about the money. Is it verified? Is it affiliated with the government? The "page transparency" tab shows whether the page is funded; you can check whether the funding organization is legitimate.
The Federal Trade Commission also advises consumers to know how potential scammers want you to pay, and to avoid paying someone who tells you to pay with cryptocurrency, a wire transfer service such as Western Union or MoneyGram, a payment app or a gift card.
The commission said government grant scammers typically make big promises and try to look official. They will also seek personal information — such as your Social Security number or bank account — or money; don’t give it to them.
Our Sources
Meta ad library, "Success Capable" page, accessed Jan. 14, 2025
Meta ad library, "American Benefits Digest" page, accessed Jan. 15, 2025
PolitiFact, No, a new $1,000 stimulus check hasn’t been approved as Donald Trump takes office, Dec. 10, 2024
Associated Press, IRS is sending out automatic stimulus payments. Who is getting them?, Jan. 13, 2025
IRS, Economic impact payments, accessed Jan. 15, 2025
IRS, Common tax scams and tips to help taxpayers avoid them, Nov. 4, 2021
IRS, Tax scams: What to know, what to do, Sept. 10, 2024
IRS, Recognize tax scams and fraud, Dec. 23, 2024
USAGov, Avoid "free money" from the government scams, accessed Jan. 14, 2025
Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice, Government Grant Scams, accessed Jan. 14, 2025
Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice, How To Avoid a Scam, accessed Jan. 14, 2025