The Internal Revenue Service has begun depositing stimulus checks electronically into bank accounts. If you've gotten yours, great. Now, guard that money, because scammers are eager to pick your pocket.

If you're still waiting for your payment — or running into unverified offers or communications — healthy skepticism is your best friend. As of Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission had received more than 18,000 complaints related to COVID-19 this year, with consumers losing more than $13 million to fraud.

"As this deadly virus continues to impact every part of our lives, scammers are looking...