Some Americans Chosen To Receive Fourth Stimulus Checks? Text About Direct Payments A Scam

Some Americans have received text messages claiming they were chosen to receive a fourth round of stimulus checks, but officials say the messages are fake.

“Congrats!! You have been chosen by the U.S. government as one of the recipients for COVID-19 pandemic relief extra stimulus bonus,” the text read.

The messages also included a link to a webpage allegedly providing information on how to apply for the government’s COVID-19 economic impact payments.

Officials for the U.S. Department of Treasury have since dismissed the text messages as fake and warned against clicking the web link included, noting that it is not an authorized website.

Treasury officials warned KHOU 11 that the public should not engage with stimulus check scams, adding that the only way they will be able to receive their pandemic relief benefits is by filing a tax return with the IRS or registering online on the agency’s website.

The fake text messages are the latest in a series of stimulus check scams that surfaced since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. On July 15, a social media post claimed that lawmakers have passed a new measure that would send a fourth round of stimulus checks to millions of eligible Americans.

“EVERYONE GETS ANOTHER STIMULUS CHECK FOR $2500 on July 30, 2021. They did it! The article below tells you what you need to do to get yours direct deposited and how to receive it quicker and how to track it,” the Facebook post.

The post also included a link that sends readers to a webpage showing an ape giving the middle finger. The post and several other similar ones have since been marked as “false information.”

Millions of Americans are still hoping for a new round of stimulus checks despite the economy picking up amid the pandemic. A Change.org petition calling for recurring checks has already garnered 2.66 million signatures of its 3 million goal. The petition, posted by Denver restaurant owner Stephanie Bonin, calls for lawmakers $2,000 monthly checks for adults and $1,000 payments for children throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The U.S. Congress has yet to announce any plans for more stimulus checks. However, some Americans living in California may receive $600 stimulus checks as part of the Golden State Stimulus plan proposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-CA.