This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact The Epoch Times Reprints.

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Times
AD
The Epoch Times
Policies & Impacts

People Used COVID-19 Stimulus Cash to Pay Off Credit Card Debt

A new report shows that many Americans used COVID-19 relief funds to pay off their credit card debt rather than for essentials such as food and shelter.
Google LogoMark Us Preferred on Google
People Used COVID-19 Stimulus Cash to Pay Off Credit Card Debt
A man shows off some of his credit cards as he pays for items at Lorenzo's Italian Market in Miami, Florida, on May 20, 2009. Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Tom Ozimek
Tom Ozimek
Reporter
11/1/2023|Updated: 11/2/2023
0:00

While it’s estimated that more than $280 billion in COVID-19 relief funding was stolen by fraudsters, a new report shows that many Americans used their stimulus checks to pay off their credit card debts.

The report, from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), revealed that the share of cardholders who paid off their credit card debt during the COVID-19 pandemic reached the highest in recent years.
Google LogoMark Us Preferred on Google
Tom Ozimek
Tom Ozimek
Reporter
Tom Ozimek is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times. He has a broad background in journalism, deposit insurance, marketing and communications, and adult education.
twitter
Author’s Selected Articles
US Gasoline Prices Fall for 6th Straight Week
Jun 23, 2026
US Gasoline Prices Fall for 6th Straight Week
Trump Warns Tehran of Renewed Attacks if Framework Agreement Is Violated
Jun 23, 2026
Trump Warns Tehran of Renewed Attacks if Framework Agreement Is Violated
Iran Says No Plans to Let IAEA Inspect Bombed Nuclear Sites
Jun 23, 2026
Iran Says No Plans to Let IAEA Inspect Bombed Nuclear Sites
Israeli Forces Will Stay in Lebanon ‘As Long as Necessary’: Netanyahu
Jun 22, 2026
Israeli Forces Will Stay in Lebanon ‘As Long as Necessary’: Netanyahu
Related Topics
Fraud
Credit Cards
COVID-19 relief
AD
Add to My List
Save
The Epoch Times
Copyright © 2000 - 2026 The Epoch Times Association Inc. All Rights Reserved.