ORLANDO, Fla. — Many people received their stimulus payments from the federal government Wednesday to help make ends meet during this pandemic. But some people are not able to get their funds, even though the IRS says it has paid them.

Central Florida veteran Ryan Lillison says he has been getting a phone message when he tries to call the IRS to help with problems with his stimulus check. 

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“Welcome to the Internal Revenue Service, at this time we are unable to provide live assistance, due to reduced staff levels ... We apologize for the inconvenience,” the phone message said.

It is a phone message Lillison did not want to hear.

“It’s definitely a feeling of hopelessness,” Lillison said.

He has been trying to get a hold of someone from the IRS after the Check Your Payment tracking tool on the IRS website showed his money came on Wednesday, but into someone else’s bank account.

Lillison, a disabled veteran, works at a grocery store while going to school full time, however, the coronavirus pandemic is hurting his income.

“The hours have been reduced drastically,” Lillison said.

And with a wife and two kids to support, he was really counting on that federal stimulus payment to help get them through this pandemic.

“I rely on the stimulus money to be able to pay all the bills, to be able to take care of my family,” Lillison said.

Almost all American citizens are entitled to $1,200 per person, and $500 per dependent child.

But IRS Special Agent Ryan Thompson says in cases like this, you need to make sure the money did not get accidentally deposited into an account that your tax preparer uses. 

And to also make sure you are not the victim of identity fraud where someone else may have routed your stimulus check to them. 

He adds with a payout this large happening this quickly, there is bound to be some hiccups.

“My plea would be for a little bit of patience, again the legislation was passed as little as two weeks ago and we’re already up and running with making these payments,” Thompson said.

Thompson says if you think your account information is wrong you should be able to correct it online. 

And as more time passes, he says the IRS should be able to iron out more kinks with the payments.

Lillison says while he has been trying to be patient, his bills are not.

“You want to be able to have faith in them, but you can’t. Not when something like this happens,” Lillison said.