The US government's giving out money...

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... or, at least, that's what the scammers want you to believe. There are a lot of email and SMS messages flying around over the last few days containing text like this (payload website name removed): Hey, Obama's giving Gov Grants to help families in your area to stimulate the economy. Check it out, SCAMWEBSITE.com, don't miss out. It won't last long! The payload websites try to look legitimate, with "As seen on CNBC, MSNBC, and CNN" logos everywhere, fake comments (with additional commenting "disabled due to spam"), and testimonials from people who claim this actually worked for them. These sites direct you to another site, liberally sprinkled with American flags and logos of the major news networks, which asks you for your contact information and a credit card, from which they will charge you a $1.95 shipping fee to send you an information packet. Hidden in the terms and conditions, however, you'll find that this $1.95 only covers your "one-day trial period", and that they're going to bill you approximately $60/month until you cancel. You can read more about this, including a large number of archived complaints about this scam, at complaintboard.com. Remember - if it seems to good to be true, it probably is. Careful reading of terms and conditions, along with research and a healthy dose of skepticism, can help keep you from being a victim.