BBB warns of stimulus check text message scam
The IRS is issuing $1,400 tax rebate checks to eligible taxpayers, but scammers are sending fake texts pretending to be the IRS.
Fox – Fox 29
- President Donald Trump has proposed a $2,000 “tariff dividend” check, but it has not been approved by Congress.
- The IRS has not scheduled any new payments and warns against scams claiming otherwise.
You’ve probably seen the headlines: “Stimulus checks approved!” “New rebate coming.” Spoiler alert: none of it has actually happened yet.
Stimulus checks are direct payments the federal government sends to Americans during times of economic strain, intending to boost spending, stabilize households and help keep the economy moving. The last round of true federal stimulus checks went out in 2021, when millions of Americans received up to $1,400 as part of the American Rescue Plan. Since then, no national stimulus checks have been approved despite many social media claims suggesting otherwise.
So why are stimulus checks suddenly everywhere in the news again? A mix of political proposals and misinformation. At the same time, talk of tariff rebate payments and DOGE checks have stirred confusion, even though none of them have been passed by Congress.
Here’s everything to know about the suggested $2,000 stimulus check.
Are we getting a stimulus check?
As of mid-November 2025, no new federal stimulus checks have been authorized by Congress and the IRS has confirmed that no additional payments are scheduled for 2025.
How do I know if I’m getting a stimulus check?
Because no new stimulus program has been approved, no one is eligible for a stimulus check unless a law is passed. If you weren’t notified via an official IRS letter and the payment wasn’t logged in your online IRS account, it likely is not legitimate. Also, be cautious of texts of emails claiming payments; the IRS warns that these are often scams.
Is there a 2,000 dollar stimulus check coming?
The idea for a $2,000 payment was floated by President Donald Trump, who proposed “tariff dividend” checks worth $2,000 per person except high-income earners, possibly landing around mid-2026. However, this remains a proposal only and has not been approved by Congress.
Are we getting a tariff rebate check?
The short answer is not yet. The tariff rebate, often described as “dividend” funded from import tariffs, has been proposed by Trump’s team but it hasn’t been authorized or implemented. Congress must pass legislation and key lawmakers are still skeptical about the cost and inflation risks of such a large program.
This isn’t the 1st stimulus check Trump suggested in 2025
This is not the first suggestion of using funds generated by tariffs to send a stimulus payment to Americans. There was previous discussion of doing this in August 2025.
After Trump originally suggested this idea during the summer, Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley proposed the American Worker Rebate Act of 2025, which would have provided a minimum of $600 per adult and dependent child, or $2,400 for a family of four, according to news officials in August. The bill was referred to a Senate committee, but there were no updates on it as of November.
According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan nonprofit that studies fiscal policy, Trump’s proposal would cost about double the money that the U.S. is expected to make in new import duties.
Earlier in 2025, there was also talk of a DOGE dividend, which would be funded by money the department cut from other groups.
Though politicians and Trump himself talked about the idea, the stimulus checks were never formally approved by Congress. There has been no news about this proposal for months.
Got a story you want to share? Reach out at Tiffany.Acosta@gannett.com. Follow @tiffsario on Instagram.
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