IRS Warns New Jerseyans Of Coronavirus Scams

NEW JERSEY — As the Internal Revenue Service continues to distribute coronavirus relief, the agency has discovered several "common" pandemic scams. The IRS has seen several tactics from scammers to bilk people out of payments and steal their information.

Here's what the IRS says to watch out for:

• Text messages asking taxpayers to disclose bank account information under the guise of receiving the $600 relief payment.
• Phishing schemes using email, letters and social media messages with keywords such as “coronavirus,” “COVID-19” and “stimulus” in varying ways. These communications reach large numbers of people with an aim to assess personal and financial information.
• The organized and unofficial sale of fake at-home COVID-19 test kits, along with pretending to provide cures, vaccines, pills and professional medical advice regarding unproven treatments.
• Bogus opportunities to invest in companies developing COVID-19 vaccines while promising that the “company” will dramatically increase in value as a result.

The IRS says the best way to avoid falling victim to scams is to know how the agency communicates with the public. The agency doesn't send unsolicited texts or emails. They also don't call people with threats of jail or lawsuits, nor do they demand tax payments on gift cards.

People can report COVID-19 scams to the National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline at 866-720-5721, or submit them through the NCDF's complaint form.

Those who receive unsolicited emails or social media attempts to gather information that appear to be from either the IRS or a closely linked organization can forward the message to phishing@irs.gov. Don't engage with potential scammers.