Stimulus payment: Be careful you don't mistake it for junk mail

Still waiting for your stimulus payment?

Be careful you don’t accidentally throw it away, mistaking it for junk mail.

People who are expecting direct deposit or a paper check may not realize the Treasury Department is now sending some Economic Impact Payments as prepaid debit cards.

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Some things to look for, according to the Internal Revenue Service:

Plain envelope should read “Money Network Cardholder Services.”
The front of the card will say “Visa.”
The back of the card will have the name of the issuing bank, MetaBank NA.
The card should arrive with information explaining that it is your Economic Impact Payment.

GETTING INFORMATION

If you fear you’ve thrown away your stimulus-payment card, call 800-240-8100 (TTY: 800-241-9100) to request a replacement.

For frequently asked questions, click here.

If you have received your card and want to know how to activate and use it, check out AARP tips by clicking here.

SCAM ALERT

The IRS and police also warn of stimulus check scams. There have been reports of fake IRS calls and emails seeking bank account and other private information in order to deposit stimulus checks. Remember, if a deal seems too good to be true … sometimes you have to doublecheck that it’s not some attempt at fraud. Click here for more details.

The IRS emphasizes it will not send unsolicited electronic communications asking people to open attachments, visit a website or share personal or financial information. It urges you to go directly to IRS.gov for official information.