Some people confused, throwing stimulus debit cards in the trash

There are three methods that the IRS has used to distribute economic impact payments, commonly referred to as stimulus checks, mandated by Congress through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Most either had funds directly deposited in their bank account while others got a paper check from the IRS, which came in clearly identifiable envelopes showing they were from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The third method has had some hiccups as it was the most recent to roll out.

The IRS has begun making some disbursements via prepaid debit cards, a method some people did not understand. Called Economic Impact Payment (EIP) Cards, they have been sent in plain, white envelopes, apparently causing confusion among Americans as to whether these cards were really from the government or if they were a scam. As a result, people have been treating the mailings as junk mail and throwing them away.

The debit cards are expected to be sent to nearly 4 million Americans so far. Individuals who don’t have banking information on file with the IRS from 2018 or 2019 will be mailed these cards.

Those who thought the plain envelopes weren’t legitimate — or didn’t realize that they were holding their economic impact payments — aren’t out in the cold. According to the EIP Card website, individuals with a discarded or destroyed card can receive one free reissued card. To order a new card, the website says to call the customer service number immediately (1-800-240-8100) and select the “lost/stolen” option. The original EIP Card will be deactivated and a replacement card will be sent.