'I was crying': IRS sends COVID-19 stimulus payments to wrong accounts

SEATTLE, Wash. (KOMO) - Millions of Americans are out of work and checking their bank accounts daily, looking for that stimulus money to be there, to pay the rent, make the car payment, cover insurance and other bills still coming due, even though there's no paycheck coming in.

The government says 80 million Americans got paid, but now it turns out that some of those payments were sent to the wrong accounts because of wrong information.

Bryan Leeds says his stimulus payment went to the wrong account.

“The account that they had deposited to was one number off from my account," he says.

Bianca Hodge said she is also looking for her stimulus check.

“The website stated that the check was deposited into my bank account. Well, that particular bank account is closed, and I haven't used it in years," she says.

Kristen Mories is in a similar boat. She’s got two dependents at home and isn't working. She said she needs her $2,200 in stimulus money now.

“When I looked, it said my payment was sent out for the 15th, and was deposited yesterday, but it has an account number on there that I’ve never seen before,” said Mories. “Oh, I was crying when I looked at my app thing and it went to the wrong place.”

The IRS says it’s sending stimulus payments for many, through direct deposit, using the same account the taxpayer used in filing their latest return.

But Mories has text messages to prove that didn’t happen in her case.

She has the text message that confirms the IRS stimulus deposit of $2,200 to an account she's never seen before, and she’s got the text message that the IRS sent her six weeks ago when she filed her taxes, confirming deposit of her refund to the correct account.

She immediately called the IRS, looking for a reason or explanation on how it would be fixed. All she got was this recorded message: “We are unable to provide live assistance due to staff levels.”

The next call was to her bank, which said there's nothing they can do to help her.

“At this point in my opinion (it) could take months,” she said.

The IRS says it's working through people's questions and working to post answers on its FAQ page.