Social media users are claiming President Joe Biden has announced thousands of dollars in government subsidies. But this is no new stimulus; it’s a scam.
A Jan. 12 Facebook post showed clips of Biden speaking and people celebrating. In the video, Biden appeared to say, “Those who haven’t received the $6,400 stimulus yet are in luck! We extended the enrollment period, allowing most Americans to qualify for immediate approval for this money.”
The video claimed the money “comes within minutes” and can be spent on “whatever you want,” including groceries, gasoline, lottery tickets and beer.
(Screengrab from Facebook)
But that’s not Biden promoting a government subsidy. The audio has been edited to sound like the president.
This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)
A reverse-image search confirmed that the video of Biden was from a Jan. 5 campaign event in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Biden didn’t mention a government subsidy.
Misleading posts promising free and fast money are common on social media platforms. PolitiFact has debunked similar claims in the past.
This Facebook post’s audio said to receive the $6,400 government subsidy, people can click the link below the video, answer a few questions and make a “30-second phone call.” People earning less than $50,000 a year who are not on Medicaid are eligible, it claims.
However, the link leads to a webpage with the URL “myobamacarerates.us” that’s not affiliated with the U.S. government. The site says, “Congress announces $6,400 subsidy available to all Americans.”
The site also includes a disclaimer that it is not endorsed by the U.S. government or Medicare.
We searched and found neither news articles nor federal announcements about a $6,400 subsidy for Americans.
The U.S. government warns that offers of free money or government grants are often scams. Government-funded financial assistance programs are offered only through official government websites.
The Federal Trade Commission’s website offers tips for avoiding and reporting these scams.
We rate the claim that a video shows Biden promoting a $6,400 government subsidy False.