More than $360 million have been lost in stimulus payment related scams over the past year. Author: Thuy Lan Nguyen Updated: 7:27 AM EDT March 17, 2021 TAMPA, Fla. — The first wave of COVID-19 stimulus payments were deposited into bank accounts over the weekend. Over the next couple of weeks, the remainder of the payments will be distributed. Some families are desperate for that money and scammers know it. The Federal Trade Commission says over the past year, more than $360 million has been lost in stimulus payment scams. Bryan Oglesby from the Better Business Bureau of West Florida says these scammers are really convincing.