Fraudulent website is seeking user information in the name of secret stimulus package to US homeowners - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 30, 2022
A post is being shared on social media claiming that US Government is giving out $185,000 to US homeowners through a secret stimulus program and users need to enter their details in the accompanying website to get the money. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: US Government is giving out $185,000 to US homeowners through a secret stimulus program and users need to enter their details in the accompanying website to get the money.
Fact: The disclaimer of the website states that the page is an advertorial for loan service and not a Government Program or aid. This site also seeks personal details of users. However, eligible homeowners who are in financial hardship due to COVID-19 can apply and get aid through Homeowner Assistance Fund. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
First, we have gone through the website given in the post and in the disclaimer, it states, ‘This page is an advertorial, and not an actual news article, blog, or consumer protection update. This is not a government program nor is it government aid, this is an advertorial for a loan service’
Moreover, the website seeks personal details of the users like Name, Address, Credit score, Property details etc. which should not be provided to unknown websites according to FTC.
However, The American Rescue Plan ,which was signed into law in March 2021, did include nearly $10 billion for the Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF). The purpose of HAF is to prevent mortgage delinquencies and defaults, foreclosures, loss of utilities or home energy services, and displacement of homeowners experiencing financial hardship after 21 January 2020. Funds from the HAF may be used for assistance with mortgage payments, homeowner’s insurance, utility payments, and other specified purposes. The HAF program available to a person will depend on the place of stay among other things. Each state or territory developed its own program. Eligibility criteria for this program can be seen here. To know more click here.
To sum it up, a fraudulent website is seeking user information in the name of secret stimulus package to US homeowners.