KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- An NBC Action News investigation has linked a locally advertised "free money" program to a company that has incurred numerous complaints and offers information you can get for free.
For-profit companies are promising “free money” information in exchange for unclear and hefty costs, and it is information you can usually access from legitimate Web sites for free.
Dozens of Internet sites are making luring offers showing piles of government money and promises suggesting you could take part in handouts averaging about $11,000 a taxpayer.
Many of these sites make legitimate sounding claims linking the payouts to Obama and the stimulus package.
We found claims suggesting people who enrolled in the Web sites got big money like $5,000 to fix up a home, or $2,800 to pay off medical bills, even $4,000 to pay down a mortgage.
Consumer agencies and the
Federal Trade Commission warn that many of the sites operate nearly identical alleged schemes that don't pay out what they promise.
"We recently conducted a ‘sweep’ of con artists taking advantage of the ‘economic crisis’" says FTC spokesperson Elizabeth Lordan. "The sweep netted various types of scams, including grant scams."
Lordan said grant programs rank as of the highest categories of complaints received by FTC investigators.
Continue Reading on the Next Page to See What Internet Site We Tried that Promised Free Money You Never Have to Pay Back
