Fourth Stimulus Check Approved? Online Posts Say 'Checks Passed Today', IRS Denies Claims

Multiple posts on social media claiming that the U.S. government passed a new round of fourth stimulus checks have been dismissed by the IRS amid growing calls for more relief aid.

On Nov. 2, “Lalate News,” a YouTube channel with more than 400,000 subscribers, posted a video claiming that Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., passed provisions for the fourth round of stimulus checks worth at least $15,000.

The channel also claimed that the money would be given in three clusters, including $4,000 for elder care, $4,000 for children care, $3,600 for the child tax credit.

Searches for “4th stimulus checks passed today” also surged over the past week. The search volume for other related topics, including “another stimulus check” and “will there be another stimulus check,” also increased by more than 110%, according to data from Google Trends.

However, a spokesperson for the IRS later dismissed the claims in an interview with VERIFY. The website of government agencies, such as the IRS and the Department of Treasury, also did not show any information about a fourth round of stimulus checks.

Calls for more relief payments have continued to grow in recent weeks. A petition posted by Denver restaurant owner Stephanie Bonin urging Congress to pass legislation that would give Americans $2,000 monthly recurring checks earned 2,946,080 signatures of its three million goal as of Tuesday 9.14 p.m. ET.

“I’m calling on Congress to support families with a $2,000 payment for adults and a $1,000 payment for kids immediately, and continuing regular checks for the duration of the crisis,” Bonin wrote in the petition posted on Change.org. “Supplying Americans with monthly support until they can get back on their feet can save our communities from financial ruin.”

In March 2021, a group of Democrats urged President Joe Biden to include more relief payments in his Build Back Better plan. However, the checks were not included in the framework released on Oct. 28.

Lawmakers in Congress have yet to signal any plans of drafting new legislation that would provide more financial aid to Americans amid the COVID-19 pandemic.