Stop Checking Your Bank Account: The Viral “$1,702 Stimulus Check” Is a Scam Preying on Your Hope
If you scrolled through TikTok or Facebook this morning, you probably saw it: A promise that a $1,702 stimulus paymenhttps://www.uslive.com/more-money-in-2026/t is hitting accounts today, January 20.
We are going to be sharp and direct: It is a lie.
There is no federal legislation for a new stimulus check. The IRS has confirmed no such payments are scheduled. The rumor appears to be a franken-story—mashing up old news about Alaska’s Permanent Fund (which was around $1,700) with vague rumors about President Trump’s proposed “Tariff Dividends.”
The “Tariff Dividend” Confusion President Trump has floated the idea of sending checks to Americans funded by his new tariffs on Europe and China. But that is just an idea. It hasn’t passed Congress. It isn’t a law. And it definitely isn’t being direct-deposited today.
The Verdict: These posts are engagement bait designed to make you click, comment, and share. Do not give them your data. Do not click the “Claim Here” links. The only thing you’ll get is a virus.
