x

New type of identity theft scam targeting stimulus checks

3 years 2 months 2 weeks ago Tuesday, January 12 2021 Jan 12, 2021 January 12, 2021 3:59 PM January 12, 2021 in News - Local

It's a new type of identity theft scam targeting stimulus checks. 

Problems have come up in other areas of the state, but one consumer agency says there have been no reports in the Valley so far. Still, now is a good time to prepare and protect yourself. 

Hilda Martinez is the interim president of the Better Business Bureau for the South Texas Region. Martinez says all it takes for scammers to get your personal information is for you to fall for their trap, believing the lie that they're with the IRS or some other government agency. 

The IRS will never try to reach out to you by text, email or social media channels. Their approach, depending on the situation, starts with a letter through the mail asking when would be a good time to call or visit a taxpayer. But if you accidentally fall for the scam, there are things you can do to try to recover. 

If you think you may have been a victim of identity theft, you can reach out to any of these three credit reporting agencies:

Equifax. Equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services. 800-685-1111.

Experian. Experian.com/help. 888-EXPERIAN (888-397-3742)

Transunion. TransUnion.com/credit-help. 888-909-8872.

If you need help with finding out where you need to call or how to file a report, you can reach out to the Better Business Bureau at (956) 969-1804 Monday through Thursday from 8AM - 12pm and 1PM - 4:30PM, and on Fridays from 8AM - 12PM and 1PM - 4PM.

More News


Radar
7 Days