If you’ve been on Facebook recently you may have noticed a seductive new ad about the new stimulus check. It looks like an IRS webpage and claims that the government now offers health credits to help Americans pay for groceries and other necessities. But you must act fast. According to the ad, today is the last day for Americans to get $540/month thanks to these new gov benefits, click below to claim.
So far it seems intriguing. There’s a picture of a U.S. Treasury check and a reference to the American Rescue Plan. The American Rescue Plan did include subsidies that lowered healthcare costs for 13 million qualifying Americans. And then when the inflation Reduction Act was signed by President Biden in August 2022, some American Rescue Plan benefits were extended. However, it’s a scam. Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself.
They Sandwich A Lie About The Stimulus Check Between Facts
Unless someone studied the American Rescue Plan or subsequent extension closely, there’s a good chance they remember just enough about the inclusion of health benefits as stimulus checks to make the Facebook ad feel relatively legit. By burying the scam between actual facts, scammers know that they’ll snag a few more victims. Every scam is different but all are some lies to sell a product.
It’s possible that some people simply want to believe it. Healthcare in the U.S. is expensive and millions carry no insurance to help reduce that costs. An advertisement promising hundreds of dollars a month in health credits is sure to capture attention. This may be particularly true because the scam is directed at those earning less than $50,000 annually. No matter how much we earn, though, everyone wants to lower their medical costs, especially if it is a stimulus check.
