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Ciara O'Rourke
By Ciara O'Rourke March 18, 2020

No, Americans aren’t getting $700 weekly checks starting March 17 because of coronavirus

If Your Time is short

  • Americans could receive a check for $1,000 or more as part of an economic stimulus package amid the coronavirus. 
  • A Facebook post about weekly $700 checks is a hoax.
 

As part of a stimulus package aimed at relieving the economy during the coronavirus pandemic, the Trump administration wants to send cash to Americans. That means you could get a check for $1,000 or more in the coming weeks, an idea that has drawn bipartisan support since Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, called for every American adult to get a check for that amount "immediately."

But as Congress hammers out the details, there’s no discussion of weekly $700 checks, as a recent Facebook post claims

"All US citizens are entitled to $700 USD per week to stay at home to avoid the spread of COVID-19 novel coronavirus, starting from March 17, 2020," says the post, which was published that day. "The government grant pay is accessible to all no matter employment status." 

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This post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.) 

It directs readers to a link, saying they should read the "full article here on how to claim" the money. But the link leads to an image of a gorilla giving the middle finger. 

Here’s another F-word. We rate this post False.

 

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No, Americans aren’t getting $700 weekly checks starting March 17 because of coronavirus

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