Beware of coronavirus-related scam calls, emails, IRS warns
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran speaks about Covid-19 at a news conference in Mineola on Thursday. Credit: Howard Schnapp
Beware of scam calls, emails and other communications claiming to be from the U.S. Treasury Department offering coronavirus-related grants and stimulus payments, the IRS is warning taxpayers in an advisory on its website Friday.
Listed under a warning headlined "COVID-19 SCAMS," the IRS said scammers are attempting to prey on taxpayers across America, offering coronavirus-related grants and stimulus payments "in exchange for personal financial information" — and are warning taxpayers not to respond.
"These are scams," the IRS said in its warning, adding anyone who has been targeted by potential scams should contact the FBI at www.ic3.gov in order to report those incidents "so that the scammers can be tracked and stopped."
John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”
