If you received an unexpected message promising a new SBA COVID-19 loan or grant, do not click its links, open attachments, pay a fee, or share personal or banking information. Verify the exact sender and web address, then contact the SBA or your lender using details you find independently on SBA.gov. A logo or official-sounding name is not proof. New COVID EIDL and PPP applications are closed, so a purported new award under either program deserves particular scrutiny.
Check the message safely before responding
- Pause. Do not reply, click a link, open an unexpected attachment, or provide sensitive information until you have verified the contact. SBA warns that scammers impersonate the agency, lenders, and collection agencies by email and phone. Its guidance says to use support details found independently on SBA.gov or in your established lender records. SBA phishing and fraud guidance.
- Inspect the sender and the full web address. SBA says official SBA email addresses end in
@sba.gov, and recommends checking URLs. A matching sender address is only one check: confirm the exact site address independently. SBA’s Office of Inspector General warns that its logo can be misused; a logo or official-sounding name alone does not establish that a message is genuine. SBA guidance; SBA OIG scam guidance. - Check whether the offer fits the program’s status. COVID EIDL stopped accepting new applications and advances in 2022, and PPP is closed as a new program. If a message says you have won, qualified for, or can claim a new award in either program, do not act on it until SBA or the relevant lender confirms it through an independently verified channel. SBA COVID EIDL information; SBA PPP information.
- Find the right contact route yourself. Navigate to the relevant SBA page by entering SBA.gov in your browser, or use contact details in your established lender records. Do not use a phone number, email address, or portal link supplied only in the unverified message.
- Report suspected impersonation or fraud. Submit suspected SBA program fraud, waste, abuse, or mismanagement to the SBA OIG Hotline. If someone has used your identity to obtain an SBA loan, use the separate identity-theft process described below.
Know what a legitimate COVID loan notice could concern
COVID EIDL: new awards are not open
The COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provided loans and advances to small businesses affected by the pandemic. SBA says it stopped accepting new applications and advances on January 1, 2022; stopped processing increase requests and reconsiderations on May 6, 2022; and closed the RAPID portal on May 16, 2022. The SBA page was updated March 26, 2026. These dates make an unsolicited offer of a new COVID EIDL award inconsistent with the program’s published status. SBA COVID EIDL page.
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Existing borrowers may still need servicing, payment, or account support. That is different from a new application or award. For COVID EIDL help, SBA lists [email protected] and the SBA Loan Portal. Its page says to include the loan or application number and the reason for the request when emailing; visit the page yourself to confirm the current contact route before sending anything.
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The Paycheck Protection Program is closed to new loans. Existing borrowers may still have forgiveness or servicing questions, but that continuing support does not mean new PPP awards are available. For questions about an individual PPP application or loan, SBA directs borrowers to their lender. SBA’s contact page provides a separate help route for direct forgiveness applicants. SBA PPP page; SBA contact page.
#1 Best Overall
- Income And Expense Log Book: This Income and Expense Record Book（8.5" x 10.5"） is a necessary item for any small business owner or entrepreneur. It is an essential part of any business - helping you understand your overall earnings to determine if you are profitable.
- Daily Tracking and Weekly Overview: let our log tell you if you are profitable today! There are two pages per week to help you you track your income and expenses. At the end of each day or week, you can note whether you made a profit or a loss for the day.
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Do not treat every pandemic payment as a grant
People may casually call a COVID relief payment a “grant,” but EIDL advances and PPP loans were distinct forms of assistance with different rules. If a message uses only vague language such as “COVID grant,” ask which named program and notice it refers to, then verify that claim with SBA or the lender through a channel you found independently. SBA’s published program information does not establish a currently open COVID relief grant award.
Warning signs that call for independent verification
- A fee tied to a promised award. SBA OIG says SBA representatives do not charge applicants for disaster assistance, inspections, or help filling out applications. Federal and local disaster workers do not solicit or accept money. A demand for payment to release or secure a promised award is a warning sign. SBA OIG scam guidance.
- A request to use a third-party platform or share sensitive information before verification. SBA says federal guidance is free and it will not ask for personal information through third-party platforms. Do not provide account credentials, banking details, or identity documents in response to an unverified message. SBA phishing and fraud guidance.
- Pressure to act through a link, attachment, or number in the message. SBA warns about phishing calls and emails impersonating SBA, lenders, and collection agencies. Independently find the official page or contact details rather than following the sender’s route.
- An official-looking logo presented as proof. SBA OIG’s warning is explicit: “The presence of an SBA logo on a webpage does not guarantee that the information is accurate or endorsed by SBA.” SBA OIG, “Protect yourself from scams and fraud”.
Use the contact route that matches your situation
| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Someone offers a new COVID EIDL award or asks about an existing COVID EIDL loan | Independently navigate to SBA’s COVID EIDL page for [email protected] and the Loan Portal. Confirm the current route there before contacting SBA or uploading records. |
| A message concerns PPP application status or an existing PPP loan | Contact the lender handling the loan using contact information from your established records. SBA directs individual application questions to the lender. Direct forgiveness applicants can find the dedicated route on the SBA contact page. |
| You need to make a COVID EIDL payment | Check the current instructions on SBA’s COVID EIDL page. SBA lists its Secure Payment Portal and 833-853-5638, and says paper checks are no longer accepted effective October 1, 2025. Confirm the instructions on the official page before paying. |
| You suspect SBA program fraud, waste, abuse, or mismanagement | Use the SBA OIG Hotline. |
| A loan may have been obtained using your identity | Follow SBA’s identity-theft instructions and submit documents only through a route confirmed on the official page. SBA loan identity-theft guidance. |
If someone used your identity to obtain an SBA loan
Suspected impersonation and completed identity theft are different problems. If a loan was taken out using your information, SBA says to provide a photo ID, an Identity Theft Report filed at IdentityTheft.gov or with local police, and a signed SBA Declaration of Identity Theft. For COVID EIDL, SBA lists [email protected] and portal upload as routes; verify the current instructions on the official identity-theft page before sending identity documents. SBA loan identity-theft guidance.
Rank #2
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Keep claims about pandemic fraud in context
In a September 23, 2026 release, SBA said IRS comparisons identified discrepancies associated with approximately $100 billion in loans and that the IRS opened examinations to determine whether additional taxes or penalties apply. SBA described the matter as suspected pandemic relief fraud and possible tax liabilities; the figure is not a finding that every borrower or loan within that amount was fraudulent. SBA’s September 23, 2026 announcement.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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Rank #4
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