In June 2024, Google users searched for answers about a purported 6400 subsidy scam involving the dollar figure of $6,400. Video ads promoting the ruse on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and possibly other websites prompted the users’ searches. These platforms displayed the scam ads to users since at least 2023.
The so-called 6400 subsidy scam featured unidentified people promoting the scheme in at least hundreds of the online video ads. These people promised qualifying Americans monthly checks of $6,400 from the U.S. government. The scammers also promoted the same scam for purported subsidy program cards in the amounts of $1,400, $5,200, $5,400, $5,800 and $16,800.
According to the people appearing in the ads, recipients could use the checks for their mortgage or rent, groceries, gas and other expenses. They claimed the checks would purportedly arrive from either the IRS or the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
However, as for the 6400 subsidy scam, promises of a subsidy, stimulus check, incentive or benefit were not real. Similar promises for other amounts of money were also scams.
If the U.S. government offered such a large amount of money or any other amounts similar to the economic impact payments and child tax credits of 2020 and 2021, prominent news publishers would have widely covered the developments.
In this article, I will break down all of the facts regarding these scammy YouTube ads. My research concluded with answers about one of the advertisers apparently paying for the $6,400 subsidy scam ads. I also gathered information about the apparent goal of the scammers and how the scams likely work.
2023: The Scam Begins
I first noticed the $6,400 subsidy scam in late 2023. On Dec. 2, 2023, I published a YouTube video calling out the scam. My video’s title reads, “6400 Dollar Subsidy for Stimulus Check: Scam or Legit?”
In my original video, I reported on the fact the $6,400 subsidy scam ads appeared on Meta’s advertising platform. The ads I looked at served to users on Facebook, Instagram, Audience Network and Messenger. The Facebook page hosting the ads for all of the other platforms displayed a profile picture of a person who did not exist. The scammer who uploaded the fake photo likely obtained the picture from the AI human-face generator thispersondoesnotexist.com.
The specific video ad I reviewed in my video featured Judge Greg Mathis of the long-running court TV show, “Judge Mathis.” However, scammers manipulated Mathis’ image and likeness. The video ad displayed deepfake visuals and AI-generated audio. The video’s end result made it wrongly appear as if Mathis endorsed a $6,400 subsidy or stimulus check. Mathis has no involvement with any promotion related to this scam.
Mathis’ AI Voice Transcript
Scammers created the $6,400 subsidy scam ad featuring Mathis to make it appear he said the following words:
Hey folks, Mathis here. I’m going to show you how to put $6,400 in your pocket right now for free. So pay attention!
The state is handing out these funds to every single one of you. You don’t even need a job. It’s all due to a stimulus-like program to help all Americans get back on their feet. They are sending out health-spending cards that get reloaded every single month with those funds.
Just imagine how much money you can be saving after this. It covers your rent, groceries and any other bills you have.
But here’s the catch. You only have until this Friday before they stop sending out these cards. Now, I’m going to tell you exactly what to do to get yours. Hop over to their official website. I put a link below for everyone. Answer two simple questions and get on a call with an agent who will get your card rushed out to you. Two days later, your card will be in your hands loaded with $6,400 ready to spend.
So, if you’re stressed about bills, click the link below and get the money you deserve before it’s gone.
To be clear, Mathis never said any of these words, nor did he promote any similar programs offering stimulus checks or subsidies.
One of the Advertisers
“MANTILLA MARKETING S.A.S.” is the name of at least one of the advertisers promoting the $6,400 subsidy scam. The advertiser’s name appears on the Google Ads Transparency Center website. The page lists the advertiser’s country as Colombia and advertiser ID as “AR01842368415377915905.” It’s unclear if the same people behind “MANTILLA MARKETING S.A.S.” also promoted the previous ads on Meta featuring Mathis and perhaps others.
$6,400 Subsidy Scam Ad Example, Transcribed
I transcribed an example of a “MANTILLA MARKETING S.A.S.” ad. This specific ad displayed to users on June 18.
The unidentified person in the ad began as follows:
All right. I’m about to teach you how to make $6,400 in the next five minutes and it’s going to be really, really simple. The government just came out with a brand new stimulus-like program and I know that you haven’t heard about it, so just listen up so that you can pretty much cash out in the next five minutes.
Look, if you’re 65 years old and you are younger than that and you’re a U.S. American, you qualify for this money, as long as you are, you know, either married or you’re single or whatever it is, and you make under a certain amount of income or even over a certain amount of income, you can qualify anywhere between $500 to $6,500, depending on how much money you make.
Everyone qualifies for it. Everybody gets money. So, go ahead and take advantage of it. There are limited funds. It’s like a brand new, like stimulus-like type of program. So, take advantage of it. There will be a link right down below that will be for you guys, so you can just go ahead and fill out the form. Answer the two questions that they want you to answer and get on a phone call and pretty much, get your money guys.
The end of the scam video ad encouraged users to click or tap on the associated link.
Glaring Issues With the Scam Ads
In the example ad transcribed above, the unidentified person falsely claimed, “The government just came out with a brand new stimulus-like program.” Again, no such $6,400 subsidy, stimulus check, incentive or benefit exists as of June 2024.
The scammer then appeared to claim anyone 65 years old or younger qualifies for the funds. They worded that part in an odd manner, as some readers no doubt noticed.
The scammer then said it doesn’t matter if the applicant is single or married. They also said a person will receive approval whether they “make under a certain amount of income or even over a certain amount of income.” Then, the scammer mentioned a range up to $6,500, not $6,400. They ended their script falsely claiming, “Everyone qualifies for it. Everybody gets money.”
In other words, the pitch spoken by one of the scammers in one of the scam video ads made promises making little sense. The ads featured plenty of red flags showing the offer completely lacked legitimacy.
How the $6,400 Subsidy Scam Works
The scammers promising $6,400 monthly payments from the government make big promises in their video ads. The scammers hope to lure potential victims into clicking the links in the ads. Those links direct users to websites asking for personal information.
Once users have submitted the requested personal information, they might receive communications in the form of phone calls, text messages, emails and mail to their physical address. Those communications are likely related to various offers for services. I strongly recommend against following up on any of those offers.
In other words, this scam likely involved an attempt by the scammers to cash in on users submitting their personal details. It’s unclear if the scammers executed the scam to receive commission fees or if goals more consequential to victims were at play, for example perhaps involving the sale of users’ personal information.
At no time did any user who submitted their personal details receive a check from the government in the amount of $6,400. Again, the $6,400 subsidy scam will never result in someone rewarded with the promised funds, including as a stimulus check, incentive or benefit. No such government program exists.
I will update this story if I uncover new details about this scam. For further viewing of my YouTube videos about the $6,400 subsidy scam, check out this clip from Feb. 7, 2024. Also, for another recent story about a different scam, read my article, “Kathleen Ryan PayPal Scam Email Money Request, Explained.”
Note: The featured image credit reads, with links, “Subsidy by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Pix4free.”
Thanks for confirming what was pretty obvious about the Judge Mathis stimulus ad. Hopefully his representatives will see the ad and go after the scammers who used his likeness without his permission.