Beware of Government Stimulus Check Scams

With checks soon coming to millions of residents from the U.S. government as part of the coronavirus stimulus package, some con artists are already hard at work. As many people are hurting financially and urgently need the relief, scammers are seeing this as an opportunity to try to get your personal information. Don’t fall for it.

If someone calls or e-mails you to confirm personal details or ask for your bank information or money, it's a scam. The federal government will never ask you to confirm your information by email, phone, text, or social media, nor will they demand any “processing fee” to obtain or expedite your stimulus payment. Keep an eye out for phishing attempts as well. Do not click on links in email or text messages relating to the stimulus checks.

There are also reports about bogus checks. The checks are at least a few weeks away, so if you receive one in the mail now, it's a fraud. In addition, if the check requires that you verify it online or by calling a number, it’s a scam. The checks will come from the United States Treasury, so a check from a different source (such as “Stimulus Relief Program”) is not legit.

Further, don't engage any scammers, even if you're wise to the ploy. If nothing else, you'll confirm that your email address or phone number are valid. Scammers can then sell that information to other scammers.

Is There a Difference Between a Devise and a Bequest?

A will may contain language saying "I give and devise" or "I give and bequeath" a certain piece of property to someone. What is the difference between these two phrases?

Traditionally, a “devise” referred to a gift by will of real property. The beneficiary of a devise is called a devisee. In contrast, a “bequest” referred to a gift by will of personal property or any other property that is not real property. This distinction was historically made because the laws for passing real property and personal property upon death were different.

Modernly, the laws in most jurisdictions treat real and personal property the same, so the distinction is no longer significant. The U.S. Uniform Probate Code even uses “devise” to denote both real and personal property.

Update: Tax Filing Deadline Has Also Been Extended

The IRS has extended the tax filing deadline to July 15. This announcement comes days after the deadline on tax payments was extended.

All taxpayers and businesses will now have additional time to file and make payments without interest or penalties. However, taxpayers who expect a refund should file as soon as possible and get their refunds once the tax return is processed.

Taxpayers may be able to get a further extension with Form 4868, which normally gives taxpayers until October 15 to file a return. It was not immediately clear how the delay in tax day would change the extension process.