New Stimulus

Could a call to a hotline number expedite receiving a "stimulus deposit" in November 2023? No, that's not true: The federal government was not distributing such payments as of this writing. The toll-free number shared on social media was a sex hotline, not a contact of a federal agency. The claim reappeared in a post on Facebook on November 29,…

Will 10 states be issuing a fourth round of IRS stimulus checks on November 30, 2023? No, that's not true: There is no 2023 federal tax benefit stimulus program from the IRS nor are all the states listed in a social media post issuing their own stimulus checks. Virginia will be issuing rebate checks to eligible taxpayers before November 30,…

Did former basketball star and current media personality Shaquille O'Neal promote a stimulus check card? No, that's not true: The video making this claim uses a fake voice. O'Neal did not actually contribute his likeness or his voice to an advertisement for the so-called stimulus check card. The claim is the latest effort in a continuing scam to deceive online…

Did rapper Lil Wayne endorse a health allowance card in an online promotion? No, that's not true: Lil Wayne, who purportedly backed the plan, did not post such an endorsement on his official social media channels. The claim that the government is freely giving out health benefits worth thousands of dollars is a scam. Such scams are usually attached to…

Is the federal government giving out health spending cards worth up to $5,600 that every American qualifies for? No, that's not true: The claim that the government is freely giving out health spending cards with thousands of dollars on them is a scam. Such scams are usually attached to some sort of advertorial asking whether one needs federal assistance or…

Is there a "secret stimulus" that provides $185,000 to U.S. homeowners? No, that's not true: The "benefit to homeowners" is just a marketing ploy to get home-owning online users to follow links and provide their personal information. Schemes like this are a common way to collect information about people that can be sold to companies that then provide pre-sifted lists…

Are Americans who "qualify" being offered up to $6,400 in health credits by the federal government? No, that's not true: This bogus information is similar to past false claims that such health credits are available. Many claims have appeared on Facebook stating that such health credits or money from a health care stimulus exist. Some examples are linked here, here,…

Can all senior citizens get a free $3,500 grocery card from Medicare in 2023? No, that's not true: Neither the government nor Medicare are offering a free grocery card valued at $3,500 to all senior citizens in the United States. The closest is a program that provides "special supplemental benefits for certain people who are chronically ill," a Centers for…

Did U.S. politician Sarah Palin endorse a "dental giveback" program for seniors? No, that's not true: The video of the former governor of Alaska is an edited version of a Cameo video she had previously recorded for a different purpose. The website promoted in the post with the edited video appears to be a health care scam, as there is…

Is the IRS offering Americans "additional spending" in 2023? No, that's not true: Neither the government nor the IRS are offering a new cash stimulus to people who make under $50,000 and who are not on Medicaid or Medicare. The claim appeared in a video published on Facebook on January 4, 2023, under the title "Claim Your $540/Month In Health…