Fresh Start Tax Relief Scam at reliefsignup.com

How the Scam Works

• Deceptive Marketing: Scammers blast unsolicited text messages or automated phone calls claiming a specific sum of "relief money" (often around $5,000) is waiting in your name.
• Data Harvesting: The link directs you to a portal that demands sensitive personal information, including your full name, home address, email, phone number, and ZIP code.
• Hidden Fees and Redirects: Once you input your details, the site redirects you to third-party marketing offers, enrolls you in monthly subscription traps, or hits your account with unauthorized credit card charges.
• Identity Theft & Malware: The Better Business Bureau (BBB) warns that these operations use your harvested data to compromise your identity, flood your phone with spam, or install malicious software on your device.

Critical Red Flags

• Legitimate government agencies will never contact you via text message or cold call to award you an unsolicited grant or relief check.
• The official website for checking any real federal benefits or assistance is USA.gov Government Benefits. The government does not use random .com domains for official relief programs.
• Any platform that requires you to pay a fee, buy a voucher, or view external "offers" to unlock a government check is entirely fraudulent.

If You Have Interacted With Them

• Freeze Your Accounts: If you provided any financial details, contact your bank immediately to freeze your cards and dispute unauthorized charges.
• Secure Your Identity: If you shared your Social Security number or highly sensitive information, file an identity theft report at IdentityTheft.gov.
• Report the Domain: Submit a report to the BBB Scam Tracker to help take the fraudulent infrastructure down.