Don’t Get Scammed! – Stimulus Checks

Nevada Department of Health and Human Services. Helping People.  It’s who we are and what we do. 

Find help 24/7 by dialing 2-1-1; texting 898-211; or visiting www.nevada211.org 

How to Avoid being Scammed when you are Staying Home, Nevada. Here are some main things seniors should know in general along with how they vary now in these circumstances: 

• Telephone calls 
  • The IRS and Social Security will never call you 
    • (COVID variant: no one will call you and ask for your information in order to give you promised stimulus funds) 
  • Do not give your personal information out over the phone 
    • Do not give our your social security number, Medicaid number, credit card number, or other information over the phone
      • (COVID variant: callers may ask for medical identification numbers to offer promised free testing) 
  • If your bank appears to be calling you, hang up and call them back at a number you recognize and trust 

• Internet use 
  • Your bank or other entities will not reach out to you for your email address or password information 
  • Be wary of emails promising you money  
    • (COVID variant: asking for routing numbers and bank information to send stimulus funds) 
  • Use a complex password and do not share it with others 

• Affinity scams 
  • Be wary of people calling or emailing posing as family members 
  • Be wary of contacts on facebook and other social media from people you don’t know and don’t click on suspicious links even from family as their accounts can be hacked 

• Estate planning scams 
  • Use ADSD legal services grantees to get independent legal advice about your planning 
    • (COVID variant: individuals preying on seniors to get them to sign documents about their affairs, also there may be family asking loved ones to quitclaim property to them to avoid probate but instead the individual has given away their home) 

• Money scams 
  • Do not wire money or send gift cards 
    • (COVID variant: don’t give someone your debit card and PIN or the like so that they can get groceries for you) 
  • Price gouging 

• Door to Door 
  • (COVID variant: people going door to door pretending to offer tests in exchange for social security or Medicaid or Medicare information)