The Florida Attorney General's office is warning taxpayers of a new COVID-19 related text scam that deceives recipients into disclosing personal banking information in order to receive a $1,200 stimulus check.
The scam impersonates the Internal Revenue Service.
The scam text message states the recipient received a $1,200 direct deposit from COVID-19 TREAS FUND and requires further action for the payment to be deposited into the account.
The text then directs the recipient to follow a fake phishing link.
The bogus phishing URL appears to be a state agency or relief organization’s website.
However, when clicked, the URL directs recipients to a website fraudulently impersonating the IRS.
The
Attorney General’s Office reminds taxpayers that the federal
government and state agencies will never require personal banking
information to be disclosed via text message to receive stimulus
payments.
Those who receive this text should immediately
report it to the IRS by sending a screenshot of the message
to Phishing@IRS.gov with the Date, time and time zone the
text message was received, The 10-digit phone number that sent the
text, and the recipient’s mobile phone number.
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