IRS Warns against COVID -19 Fraud; other financial schemes

The IRS reminds taxpayers to continue to guard against tax fraud and other related financial scams related to COVID-19.

Criminals seize on every opportunity to exploit bad situations, and this pandemic is no exception.

Criminals are continuing to use the COVID-19 Economic Payments as cover for schemes to steal personal information and money. Scams related to COVID-19 are not limited to stealing EIP’s from taxpayers, however. Criminal Investigations has already seen scams related to the organized sale of fake at-home test kits, offer to sell fake cures, vaccines, pills and advice on unproven treatments for COVID-19. Other scams purport to sell large quantities of medical supplies through the creation of fake shops, websites, social media accounts and email addresses where the criminal fails to deliver promised supplies.

Other COVID-19 related scams involve setting up fake charities soliciting donations for individuals, groups and areas affected by the disease.

COVID-19 scams should be reported to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at
1-866-720-5721 or through the NCDF Web Complaint Form.