Something That Looks Like Junk Mail Isn't Always Junk

 

February 3, 2021

This past week, many people in Blaine County began receiving stimulus payments via mail delivery. Because the return address was Omaha, Nebraska, and because the mailed item did not appear to be from The Department of the Treasury, in some cases recipients discarded it, believing it was a solicitation. Rather than inadvertently throwing away a stimulus check, local residents should be aware that the IRS is now using prepaid debit cards to send this round of stimulus payments.

Although the envelope's front in red lettering bears the message: "Not a bill or an advertisement. Important information about your Economic Impact Payment," the contents look suspiciously like a scam from some organization called Money Network®. For example, nowhere does the enclosed notification indicate an amount, and the debit card comes with an entire page of terms and fees and customer service contact information. With all of those features, the mailing may appear suspicious, but it is actually legitimate.

According to IRS.gov, prepaid debit cards were sent to some of those whose banking information is not on file with the IRS. Distributing payments via debit card was also expected to expedite the process of getting checks to Americans. So, even though the $1,200 checks last spring looked like typical tax refund checks from the U.S. Treasury, in an attempt to speed up the process this time, the IRS ordered several million pre-printed debit cards from MetaBank. Neither the cards nor the accompanying literature states an amount of $600 since that figure was determined later.

The IRS.gov website also indicates that, "As with the first round of payments, most recipients will receive these payments by direct deposit. For Social Security and other beneficiaries who received the first round of payments via Direct Express, they will receive this second payment the same way."

Persons wishing to check their payment status can go online to IRS.gov, select the option: Get My Economic Impact Payment, and use the blue "Get My Payment" button. This will take those seeking answers to the details that will confirm whether a second stimulus payment was sent and how that payment was transmitted-either by direct deposit or mail. "Data is updated once per day overnight, so there's no need to check back more than once per day," the IRS advises.

The site further informs visitors: "We're committed to helping you get your stimulus payments as quickly as possible. Please do not call the IRS about the new payment; our phone assistors do not have additional information beyond what's available here on IRS.gov and in the Get My Payment application."

However, if a person accidentally threw a stimulus payment away, or thinks it was lost or stolen, that individual can call the MetaBank Customer Service number: 800-240-8100. Although callers will not need to know their card numbers, they will need to provide a Social Security Number.

Additional information for activating, using, and retrieving a balance on the debit card can also be obtained at EIPcard.com.

That website, operated by Money Network, shares further information about the Economic Impact Payment Card (EIP Card), explaining that it "contains the money you are receiving under the COVID-related Tax Relief Act of 2020 or the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The EIP Card is sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Treasury Bureau of the Fiscal Service as part of the US Debit Card Program. You can use your EIP Card to make purchases where Visa® Debit is accepted - in stores, online or by phone."

 
 

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