MADISON COUNTY – The Madison County Sheriff’s Office is warming area residents about a new round of scams in relation to the second round of federal government stimulus payments.

“Be careful of potential scammers looking to exploit consumers by offering to speed up stimulus payments for a fee,” a social media post from the sheriff’s department stated.

The MCSO shared these tips for people to consider:

The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text or social media channels to request personal or financial information. Never give out personal or financial information unless you are absolutely sure to whom you are providing this information.

Do not pay anyone who promises to expedite your stimulus check or make an upfront payment to expedite the process. Anyone who tells you to pay by Western Union or Money Gram, or by putting money on a gift card, is a scammer.

If you think you are a victim of a scam or attempted fraud involving COVID-19, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via email at disaster@leo.gov. You can also call MCSO’s non-emergency line at 256-722-7181.