BOISE, ID — Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador is warning residents about a scam involving text messages that falsely claim recipients must act immediately to receive a $2,000 tariff rebate.

According to the Idaho Attorney General’s Office, the scam messages use urgent language and often include bold or capitalized text, telling recipients their rebate check will not be sent unless they click a link and respond right away. Officials say the texts are not from any government agency.

The Attorney General’s Office emphasized that government agencies do not send text messages offering money or rebates, nor do they require people to respond to texts to receive payments. Any message making such claims should be treated as fraudulent.

The scam messages appear to follow a common pattern used by fraudsters, including referencing legitimate news coverage to appear credible, creating a sense of urgency with immediate deadlines, and promising free money or threatening the loss of a supposed benefit.

“Scams like this are all too familiar, especially around the holiday season,” Labrador said in a statement. He noted that scammers send out massive volumes of messages in hopes that some recipients will be deceived, and encouraged Idahoans to learn how to recognize scams and report suspicious messages.

The Consumer Protection Division advises residents to be cautious of messages that demand immediate action, stop and verify claims through official channels, and never click links or use contact information provided in unsolicited texts. Idahoans can find more information about identifying and reporting scams at ReportScamsIdaho.com.