If You Get an Email From the IRS With These 3 Words, Don’t Click on It

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If you’ve already filed your tax return , despite the deadline being delayed, we commend you. And we also imagine you’re probably checking your bank account nonstop to see if you’ve gotten your refund. According to the IRS, you should get your refund within 21 days of filing your taxes, so if you find yourself waiting longer, you might be concerned. There are many reasons for a delayed refund check , the IRS says on its website—maybe your return is incomplete, it includes errors, or it needs further review. But if you’re eagerly awaiting your refund, the IRS is now warning you not to fall victim to an email scam that’s become rampant. Read on to learn which email from the “IRS” you shouldn’t open, and for more government boosts in the future, check out This Is How Your Fourth Stimulus Check Would Be Different From the Others .

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On Mar. 30, the IRS released a statement warning of an IRS-impersonation scam . According to the agency, if you’re waiting for your refund, you should be on the lookout for emails with the IRS logo and varying subject lines that contain the words “tax refund payment”—two of them being simply “Tax Refund Payment” or “Recalculation of your tax refund payment.”

These emails are prompting people to click a link and submit a form, claiming they could receive their refund by completing the email’s instructions.

And for another scam going around lately, If You Get This Message From Pfizer, Don’t Respond, Officials Say.

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Unfortunately, the form is just an attempt for scammers to get your information. The IRS warns that the “phishing website”—the one you’re redirected to if you follow the email’s instructions—asks for personal information like your social security number, driver’s license number, and electronic filing information.

Other personal details requested in the scam are your first and last name, date of birth, prior year annual gross income, current address, and your electronic filing pin.

And for more scams to avoid, check out If You See This Message on Your Roku, Report It Immediately, Experts Say .

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While anyone is susceptible to the scam, it “appears to primarily target educational institutions, including students and staff who have ‘.edu’ email addresses,” the IRS says.

Complaints sent to the IRS’ [email protected] account in recent weeks have been from college students “from both public and private, profit and non-profit institutions,” the warning notice explains.

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If you’ve accidentally fallen for the scam and revealed your personal details on that phishing website, the IRS urges you to promptly obtain an Identity Protection PIN . “This is a voluntary opt-in program. An IP PIN is a six-digit number that helps prevent identity thieves from filing fraudulent tax returns in the victim’s name,” the IRS says.

Additionally, if you do happen to obtain this fraudulent email, you can report it to the IRS. To do so, just save the email with the “save as” button and send it as an attachment to [email protected] . Both the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and IRS Criminal Investigation are aware of the scam.

If you have yet to be fooled by this email and are awaiting a tax refund, the IRS says the best thing to do is simply check the IRS.gov website and follow the prompt that reads: Where’s My Refund ?

And if you’ve not yet filed your taxes, but are anticipating a COVID-relief check, check out If You’re Waiting on a Stimulus Check, Read This Before Filing Your Taxes .

This Is How Your Fourth Stimulus Check Would Be Different From the Others

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The third stimulus package was finalized and distributed in March, with the IRS sending payments to more than 127 million Americans . But for many people, these funds still aren’t enough to cover the financial hardships faced during the coronavirus pandemic. These individuals have already shifted their focus to the potential of another stimulus payment. And based on what lawmakers are currently proposing, your fourth stimulus check could look a lot different than the others. Keep reading to find out what changes have been suggested, and for more on the last stimulus check, If You Haven’t Received Your Stimulus Payment Yet, You Need To Check This .

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A group of more than 60 lawmakers—including Elizabeth Warren , Bernie Sanders , Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , and Ilhan Omar —are pushing for President Joe Biden to consider making further stimulus payments happen as recurring payments, instead of a lump sum. Eleven senators wrote to Biden early in March saying, “We urge you to include recurring direct payments and automatic unemployment insurance extensions tied to economic conditions in your Build Back Better long-term economic plan,” Newsweek reported. An earlier letter sent to Biden in late February by more than 50 House of Representatives members made a similar proposal, asking that any future relief package include recurring cash payments of equal payments for both adults and dependents that “continue until the economy recovers,” as indicated by a copy of the letter provided by Politico. And for more on past payments, If You Never Got Your Last Stimulus Check, Experts Say Do This Now .

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According to the House members who signed the letter to Biden in February, not only is “one more check is not enough” during the ongoing pandemic, but they also say that “many families cannot wait for eight months between payments.”

“As we look at the coming year, another one-time round of checks would provide a temporary lifeline, but when that money runs out, families will once again struggle to pay for basic necessities,” the letter states. “Recurring payments would provide a long-term lifeline to struggling Americans for the duration of this deadly pandemic.”

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President Biden has yet to discuss what a fourth stimulus check would look like, though the administration has begun plans for a stimulus sequel package, currently referred to as the Build Back Better plan. According to CNET, this package currently aims to invest in the nation’s energy grid, transportation, broadband, and water systems, but it may not include stimulus checks. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told Fox News on March 28 that this package won’t even be fully unveiled until late April. And for anyone working on their taxes, If You’re Waiting on a Stimulus Check, Read This Before Filing Your Taxes .

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If you’re already yearning for that fourth stimulus check, you may want to lower your expectations. Many experts are not convinced that another payment will be sent out to Americans—even with the Build Back Better plan in the works. According to Fortune , a large number of economists agree that the economic crisis brought forth by the pandemic is nearing its end and strong economic growth is just around the corner . “These [new] packages will be designed to address long-term economic problems such as infrastructure, climate change, and the skewed income and wealth distribution. I wouldn’t consider these packages as fiscal stimulus, designed to support the economy in the short-term,” Moody’s chief economist Mark Zandi told Fortune . “I don’t think there will be a fourth round of stimulus checks.” And for money you might be owed, If You’re Missing Money From Your Stimulus Payment, Check This Now .