ROANOKE, Va – As Americans across the country start to receive their third stimulus checks, the Better Business Bureau is warning people to avoid potential scams. Staff says there has been a major influx of scammers hoping to steal personal information since the pandemic started. The Better Business Bureau says you should never pay any money to get your check sooner or give out other incriminating information. “With three different stimulus payments, with all the other programs that have been in place with other concerns of people had that we saw a huge increase in complaints last year if it was almost exclusively pandemic related,” Julie Wheeler President of Better Business Bureau Serving Southwest VA said. The Internal Revenue Service does have a website that can be used to track when your payment is set to be made.

Important question: Have you gotten your stimulus check yet? In fact, most people don’t need to take any action, and will automatically receive the payment. Let’s talk through the tools available to investigate what might be holding up your check, prepaid debit card or direct deposit. You’re eligible for the Economic Impact Payment, right? Here’s a detailed list you should triple-check just to make sure you’re eligible for the payment, and see how much you should receive.

As president of Roanoke Tours Incorporated, money is in short supply right now. “The tours have all had to cancel due to the coronavirus and we’ve had to refund everyone," Dale said. To get customers their money back, Dale has had to liquidate some of his personal assets. Then, I survived the recession of 2008 but things seem to be harder this time,” said Dale. If you haven’t received your stimulus check, you can track it here.

“#IRS deposited the first Economic Impact Payments into taxpayers’ bank accounts today. #IRS deposited the first Economic Impact Payments into taxpayers’ bank accounts today. We know many people are anxious to get their payments; we’ll continue issuing them as fast as we can. For those who do not have direct deposit information registered with the IRS, it could take months for checks to be mailed. The IRS is expected to roll out an online tool to help those that have not registered direct deposit do so.

The coronavirus relief bill that passed Congress on Friday includes direct cash payments to help people through the crisis — but one red flag that can cost otherwise eligible Americans money is owing past due child support, according to KNSD. Owing back taxes or other debt to the government is not a problem, according to Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the chairman of the Finance Committee and a key author of the bill.