AG: Watch out for tariff text scam

Attorney General Raúl Labrador is warning Idahoans about a text scam claiming recipients must act urgently to receive $2,000 tariff rebate checks. The fraudulent messages, complete with bold and capital letters, claim that the recipient's check will not be sent unless they click a link and respond immediately.

These texts are not from any government agency, a press release said. "No government payment would ever require a text response to qualify for receiving it."

The scam texts follow a familiar pattern designed to fool recipients: reference tariff rebate checks mentioned in media reports to establish credibility; create false urgency with immediate deadlines and promise free money or threaten the loss of an opportunity.

“Scams like this are all too familiar, especially around the holiday season,” said Labrador. “The best way to prevent scams is to learn how to spot them in advance and flag any potential scams for my Consumer Protection Division, which a vigilant Idahoan did in this case helping bring it to our attention.”