Read your federal stimulus check carefully: there are hackers sending fake checks to get account #'s

[lindysalsagal]

My friend posted it on bookface.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

1. How in the world would they get check stock that would look like the real thing?

I suppose I should never underestimate the gullibility of some people.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Some forgers are very good at that sort of thing.

And there are probably a fair number of people who don't really know what a federal check looks like or have never paid attention.

[jberryhill]

7. The OP still makes no sense

[sheshe2]

3. Hell.

I don't trust THIS Federal government with my information. Donnie and the dotard admin are probably sucking all our accounts dry as we speak.

[Cicada]

4. How would bad guys get to see my signature and acct number?

Wouldn’t the check have to clear for a copy to get back to the issuer? And after two checks bounced wouldn’t the bank notice and close the account?

[niyad]

5. Are any of the actual checks (not the direct deposits) actually out yet? I thought it was going to

take several more weeks?

[SamBob]

6. one reason i am happy i deleted my fb

is all the constant weird meme pictures warning people of some new scam thing and it's something i would never believe anyway, but i guess i have known some people to be gullible enough to believe some of that stuff too.

[jberryhill]

8. Can you explain this a little better, perhaps?

If you send me a fake check, then how do you get my account number?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. They don't need your account number; they're doing this:

Usually, in the mailing, the prospective thief will indicate that a small fee must be paid before the check can be cashed. In other cases, scammers send a fake check that's too large and will immediately send a followup mailing pretending it’s a mistake and ask you to go ahead and deposit the fake check and refund them the difference by direct depositing it into their account immediately. By the time you deposit the fake check and discover it's fake, they'll have already disappeared with your real returned dollars.

https://www.fool.com/personal-finance/2020/04/19/irs-warning-retirees-stimulus-check-scams.aspx

With the fake check ploy, scammers are creating fake stimulus checks for a larger amount than you are supposed to receive. Victims will then be notified that they were overpaid and that they need to send money back in the form of cash, gift cards, or money transfers. When the fake check bounces, the victim will then be out that money, along with whatever they sent the scammers.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/20/scammers-after-coronavirus-stimulus-checks-red-flags-to-watch-for-warns-fraud-expert.html and https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/stimulus-check-scams-to-look-out-for-coronavirus-schemes-2020-3