The “$2,000 Tariff Rebate Check” Text Scam Is Back

By Greg Collier

If you’re getting urgent text messages claiming you’re owed a $2,000 tariff rebate check, stop right there. This isn’t free money. It’s a scam and a very familiar one.

Idaho’s Attorney General is warning residents about a wave of fraudulent texts telling people they must act immediately or risk losing a supposed rebate check. The messages often use bold or capitalized language, include a link, and pressure recipients to respond right away.

Sound familiar? It should.

This scam follows the exact same playbook used during the COVID lockdowns, when scammers flooded phones with fake messages about stimulus checks, unemployment payments, and emergency relief funds.

Different crisis. Same con.

What’s Going On

Scammers are sending texts claiming:

You qualify for a $2,000 tariff rebate

Your check will be withheld unless you respond immediately

You must click a link or reply to “confirm” your eligibility

The hook is current political chatter about possible rebate or dividend checks tied to tariffs. The details are vague, and that’s the point. Scammers thrive on uncertainty, not clarity.

As Idaho officials made clear, no government agency requires a text response to receive money. Ever.

Why This Scam Works

This scheme succeeds for the same reasons stimulus scams worked in 2020:

  • People expect money
    When relief checks were discussed during COVID, scammers exploited that expectation. Today, they’re doing the same with tariff and dividend talk.
  • Details are unclear on purpose
    If a real program doesn’t exist yet or hasn’t been finalized, scammers can fill in the gaps with lies.
  • Urgency short-circuits logic
    “Act now or lose your money” is designed to keep people from verifying anything.
  • Texts feel informal and personal
    People are used to banks, stores, and delivery services texting them, so scammers exploit that comfort.

Red Flags

According to consumer protection officials, these warning signs mean you’re dealing with a scam:

  • Government agencies do not text you offering money or rebates
  • Any message saying you must respond to receive payment is fraudulent
  • Urgent deadlines are a major red flag
  • Links sent via text claiming to unlock government funds are never legitimate
  • Threats that your money will be “withheld” if you don’t act immediately

If it feels rushed, it’s probably rigged.

This Isn’t Just an Idaho Problem

While Idaho officials issued the warning, this scam can and likely will appear nationwide.

During COVID, fake stimulus scams spread from state to state within days. The same thing is happening now. Once scammers find a message that works, they reuse it everywhere.

Different state. Same script.

If you’re seeing these texts outside Idaho, don’t assume it’s a local program you just haven’t heard about yet. That uncertainty is exactly what scammers are counting on.

If You’ve Been Targeted

  • Do not click the link
  • Do not reply
  • Delete the message
  • Verify any claim by contacting the agency directly using official contact information
  • Report scam texts to your state’s consumer protection office or attorney general

If money is real, it will come through official channels and not a rushed text message.

Final Thoughts

The “$2,000 tariff rebate” text scam is just the latest remix of an old fraud strategy.

We saw it with stimulus checks.
We saw it with unemployment benefits.
We saw it with disaster relief.

Anytime there’s talk of government money, scammers rush in first.

Remember the rule that hasn’t changed: the government doesn’t text you free money; scammers do.

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